This coming fall semester, new students may be surprised by how large the campus is. With 14 buildings, outdoor athletic fields and large prairie spaces, it can be overwhelming. Don’t feel lost though! A stroll through the central buildings will reveal many interesting places that are the tip of the iceberg for what COD offers. Here are a few spots for you to explore your new college, become a part of student life and make the most of this academic and developmental experience. 

On your first day here, you can pick up your textbooks and a snack at the bookstore in the Student Resource Center, SRC, building. On the way out, you’ll come across a wall lined with many flags to represent the diversity of COD students. This is the International Hall on the first floor of the SRC building. To complement the flags, there are portraits of international students to share their unique stories with the rest of the student body. There are also other posters, such as the current one commemorating 10 years of the Community College Initiative Program. Under the example of these ambitious students, you can settle down in the comfy chairs for a place to hang out with your peers!

If you continue up to the second floor of the SRC, you can visit the expansive COD Library. Browse through bestseller book displays and nonfiction volumes for every area of study you’ll ever need to research. You also have access to full-featured computers and printers to do your homework.

On the other side of the building is the Learning Commons for your studying needs, with ample resources for tutoring and student educational support. Right next to the Learning Commons, there is a history gallery commemorating landmark COD events of the past five decades. The faded black-and-white pictures remind us of how much COD has grown, while always holding a sense of community. Wait a few years and maybe your picture will make it onto the 2020’s tribute.

Directly down the stairs from the Learning Commons is the student cafeteria. There’s plenty of space to enjoy a meal with friends or share coffee from the newly-opening We Proudly Serve Starbucks café. Now you can make your way to the first classes of the semester in the Berg Instructional Center.   

After classes at the BIC, you can follow the signs to the Physical Education building. Delve into the athletic legacy of COD’s various champion teams on the first floor of the PEC. With every sport from basketball to golf, there has been a lot of space and opportunity for athletes to exercise their talents. The sports fields have hosted many games where the Chaparrals continually make us proud. Walk up the stairs to the second floor of the lobby to sign up for access to the gym. It’s free for full-time students, so you can exercise both your mind and body here!

Neighboring the PEC is the famed McAninch Arts Center, which you can reach by walking through the Lakeside Pavilion. There are concerts and shows here year-round for the whole community to enjoy. In the MAC, you’ll be greeted by beautiful showcases of student artwork and creativity. If you want to spend a relaxing afternoon on campus after your classes, check out the art gallery in the Cleve Carney Art Museum. COD students are lucky to get discounted access to these periodic exhibits. Make the best of these artistic and entertainment options.

These are just a few of the places you can walk through during your first days on campus. You’ll be able to explore much more of the other buildings, as you progress through your learning journey and choose areas of study. Good luck to those starting their journey at COD this fall.