Getting a baseline idea of how to navigate St. Thomas’ campus isn’t hard. In most cases, the familiar pattern of class, dining hall, dorm, repeat will get you through the day without issue.
But what about the days when your professor asks your class to meet in god-knows-where for god-knows-why? Or the one time you’re caught without an umbrella in the middle of a downpour? Or the nights where you would sooner bash your head in with the collected writings of Thomas Aquinas than spend another second studying in the library?
That’s where some campus ball knowledge comes in; not just how to play ball, but where to play it (the AARC) and where to watch it (the Anderson Arena).
This guide provides some pointers on how to remember notable spots on campus, as well as tips on navigating the Tommie shuttle, to help you move around campus like a pro in no time.
Easily-Confused Buildings
St. Thomas’ campus features a number of similarly-named buildings, many of which have similar functions, that will trip you up if you’re not careful. Here are a couple of easily mixed-up examples to get straight:
The O’s:
O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library (OSF):
- What is it? The main library on the St. Paul campus.
- How to remember it: This is easily discerned by just calling it “the library,” but it’s a good idea to know its name should you need to differentiate it from the Catholicism-focused Ireland Library on South Campus.
O’Shaughnessy Educational Center (OEC):
- What is it? Classroom building for languages, psychology, sociology and more.
- How to remember it: It helps that “OEC” is a fun acronym to say, because calling this “O’Shaughnessy” in any context carries a heavy risk of someone getting this confused with O’Shaughnessy Science Hall on South Campus.
O’Shaughnessy Science Hall (OSS):
- What is it? Classroom building for geology, chemistry and more.
- How to remember it: Once again, just using “OSS” is best here. The full name often gets mixed up with OEC, and just saying “the science building” will confuse anyone more familiar with Owens Science Hall.
Owens Science Hall (OWS):
- What is it? Classroom building for biology, physics and more.
- How to remember it: Take advantage of the fact that this has a different last name attached to it; disregard the “science hall” part and just think of this as “Owens.”
The A’s:
Anderson Student Center (ASC):
- What is it? The student center, home to the View, T’s and Scooters, among other communal spaces.
- How to remember it: With most Anderson buildings, remembering their specific function is key to not getting them confused. Thinking that “SC” equals “student center” is a good shorthand.
Lee and Penny Anderson Arena (LPA):
- What is it? The competitive arena for the hockey and basketball teams.
- How to remember it: Don’t overcomplicate this one; the Anderson Arena is so new and so prominent that if you just say “the arena,” everyone will know what you mean.
Anderson Athletic and Recreation Center (AARC):
- What is it? Home of the weight room, swimming pool, field house and secondary indoor arena, where volleyball plays.
- How to remember it: Best remembered now as the student athletic center rather than the home for games. Using “the AARC” for this and “the arena” for LPA creates a good separation between the two, as well.
The M’s
McNeely Hall (MCH):
- What is it? Classroom building for the business school
- How to remember it: Just call this “McNeely” — its acronym is frustratingly similar to Murray-Herrick’s otherwise.
Murray-Herrick Center (MHC):
- What is it? Home of classrooms, the mail room, the campus store, the admissions office and some residences on the third and fourth floors.
- How to remember it: With so many smaller offices inside Murray-Herrick, it’s best to just specify “the mail room” or “admissions” if you can. “Murray-Herrick” works in reference to the classrooms, but confusion with McNeely is inevitable, so be prepared in any case.
Riding the Tommie shuttle
Even if you don’t have a class on St. Thomas’ Minneapolis campus, it’s always a good idea to have working knowledge of the university’s free shuttle system in case you need to get downtown for an event or a quick Target run.
The Tommie shuttle picks students up outside Anderson Student Center on Summit Avenue, marked by a tell-tale strip of pavement and, typically, some cones and a sign. On the Minneapolis campus, it arrives outside the law school on 11th Street. You’ll find it sitting at either location whenever it arrives early, but if traffic has caused delays — and it often does during rush hour — you should be ready to board as soon as it arrives, since it won’t wait around otherwise.
It’s best to check the St. Thomas shuttle website for a more up-to-date guide on how often it runs, but generally, it runs most frequently during the “work day” from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and less often before and afterward.
St. Thomas also has a shuttle tracker you can view for an up-to-date look at where each shuttle is and when it’s set to arrive. The ride takes about 15 minutes on average, but it is still a bus, so delays and unexpected maintenance issues are always a possibility.
The shuttle doesn’t run on weekends or during breaks or holidays. Fall operation hours begin during Welcome Week, though, making now a great time to take it for a test ride if you’ll be relying on it to get to class or work.
For help reaching other areas of the Twin Cities, check out our First-Year Survival Guide focused on public transit, as well.
Kevin Lynch can be reached at lync1832@stthomas.edu.
