Sissi Ma (Milton, Mass. and Beijing, China): My favorite spot in Evanston is Whole Foods (so many good memories, good finds and because I did my feature story there)!!!
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Emily Paschall (Los Angeles): I love the walkway near the library and the library itself! The overgrown vines give a fairytale-like feeling, and the library is the perfect spot to focus on whatever story I am writing.
Photo by Emily Paschall
Graham Shea (Oak Park, Ill.): My favorite spot on campus is the University Library because it's a nice and quiet space to get work done. When I'm there, I feel like I can get anything done. It brings me great peace.
Hailey Lloyd (Cypress, Texas): My favorite spot on campus is the University Library because it is quiet, has free access to color printers and is conveniently located near a Starbucks, perfect for a quick coffee boost. The chairs are super comfy and the space is beautiful. I also love the beach when it is not too hot since the sound of the waves is incredibly relaxing.
Photo by Sissi Ma
Matilda Haney Foulds (Mountain View, Calif.): Great boba spot, I recommend the passionate fruit tea with lychee jelly and boba.
Minnie Wu (Princeton, N.J.): I loved getting boba with friends after dinner or on a night walk. It is the perfect spot to recharge, relax and connect!
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Abigale Paterniti (Clarksville, Md.): My favorite spot on campus is Todoroki Sushi! For my birthday, my friends and I got a sushi boat, and it was 10/10! I loved being able to celebrate at such a special place! Highly recommend for incoming Cherubs. Overall, the food community in Evanston is incredible.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Jake Lubin (Portland, Ore.): When I visited the Shakespeare garden for the first time, it immediately reminded me of the gardens that we have in Portland. Not only is it just a cool place to be, it feels like home.
Savannah Smith (San Francisco): Very peaceful, the flowers are a really unique mix, I’ve seen a couple baby bunnies there.
Maya Dutt (Sunnyvale, Calif.): My favorite spot on campus is the Shakespeare Garden. I love it because it's off the beaten path and super peaceful. I discovered it on accident, but it's the perfect place to picnic, relax, and clear my head.
Photo by Simrah Khan
Jane Hahn (Seoul, South Korea): My favorite spot on campus is the top floor of the Segal Visitors Center. Around sunset, the breeze is perfect and the view is breathtaking, and I can see the whole city glowing in the distance.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Gavin Lin (Palo Alto, Calif.): It’s a 15-minute walk from the dorms so it helps me get my steps in throughout the day while giving us free food!
Kaylee Cheng (Palo Alto, Calif.): My favorite spot on campus is the Sargent dining hall because I am a hungry, hungry girl.
Photo by Dorie Xie
Eva Berkson (Brookline, Mass.): My favorite spot on campus is the picnic benches outside the library. I love studying or eating outside, and on a nice day the picnic benches have been a great spot for that.
Photo by Eva Berkson
Glennis Woosley (Nixa, Miss.): I love going to Pho ramen. Rachel and I would go when we needed a break after editing broadcast packages all day. It became a comfort spot.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Grace Lu (Weston, Conn.): I love going to Pâtisserie Coralie. My meetings with my instructor are there and it always smells really good in there. They have really nice pastries that you can't find anywhere else in Evanston which I really appreciate.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Naomi Hsu (Belmont, Calif.): My favorite spot on campus is Norris University Center because it's a great spot to lock in and get a quick drink or snack.
Aadhya Yanamadala (Dallas, Texas): I love Norris Student Center because it has a great seating area and a wide variety of restaurants. It’s a great place to have a working lunch!
Joshua Stoll (Weston, Fla.): My favorite spot on campus is Norris University Center. It is a peaceful place to complete work and grab food with friends.
Logan Kreisberg (Stamford, Conn.): I love going there with friends to decompress in between lectures and grab a bite of food.
Photo by Sissi Ma
Evan Yao (Los Angeles): My favorite spot in Evanston is Newport Coffee House. I love settling in with an iced matcha latte -- whether I’m locking in on assignments, catching up with other Cherubs, or just enjoying the cozy atmosphere.
Photo by Evelyn Du
Molly Kurtzer-Ellenbogen (Washington, D.C.): The reason I like Mr. Cachito is that I had to interview the owner a bunch for an article and he was super friendly, interesting and open to giving me a lot of his time. It's also just a nice cafe and study spot that’s a little bit tucked away.
Photo by Molly Kurtzer-Ellenbogen
Chloe Eng (Manhasset, N.Y.): My favorite spot has to be Mogë Tee. After 9pm lectures, junior junior olympics, and long afternoons, Mogë Tee is one of the only places open for me and my friends to rest up. Plus, the boba always hits.
Celine Ge (Shanghai, China): My favorite spot in Evanston is Mogë Tee. It is a great Boba store, and the drinks there are very similar to my hometown's Boba stores. A great place to get a sweet treat!
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Jocelyn Chen (Walnut, Calif.): My favorite spot had to be Mensch's Deli. Some of the best bagels I've ever had and really friendly people. I put my friends on after finding it, and now it's a regular spot!
Maya Segal (Raleigh, N.C.): The food is delicious (and a good price), and the people are friendly. It's a great spot for weekend brunch or for a quick lunch while downtown interviewing.
Zach Hornfeld (New York City): Lunch is always better while discussing philosophy over lox and schmear.
Alexa Gola (Chicago): I like to eat bagels with friends.
Photo by Evelyn Du
Charlotte Feller (Golden Valley, Minn.): I love running along the lakefill in the mornings—it’s really pretty and quiet, and I see a lot of interesting people.
Nora Ahearn (Dallas): My favorite spot on campus is the Lakefill because I love being by the water. Listening to the sounds of the waves is a nice way to relax after finishing stressful stories. There is also a great path for running!
Will Hansen (Missoula, Mont.): The lakefill path. Running along lake Michigan, especially at night when you can see the lights from the Chicago sky line was a great end to my day throughout the program.
Riley Shosh (San Antonio, Texas): The University Lakefill is my favorite spot on campus by far. I went there with friends on the first day of the program to have a picnic, and it was so beautiful. Its direct view of the Chicago skyline surrounded by water make it the perfect place to just sit with friends or study. The greenery was definitely a change of scenery from home- I think that’s why I love it so much.
Eila Arkin (Deerfield, Ill.): My favorite spot on campus is the Lakefill. During Cherubs, my friends and I would often take our food there to eat, and have a little picnic. It’s a beautiful and peaceful place to make memories with friends.
Natalia Abuladze (Tbilisi, Georgia): It’s where my friends and I go to eat lunch or just relax. It’s also where we watched the Fourth of July fireworks, one of my favorite memories.
Ruby Kilar (Hillsborough, Calif.): My favorite spot on campus is the Lakefill. It not only provided the perfect backdrop for Junior Junior Olympics, but it’s also the ideal weekend walk destination.
Jasmine Guo (Shanghai, China): Such serenity. The high-contrast colors, the incessant waves, the colorful rocks, the happy bikers, the carefree geese. I don’t even mind the heat.
Beatrice Sopko (San Francisco): My favorite spot in Evanston is on the rocks along the lake fill. During runs or even if you are enjoying a walk along the lake, the rocks are a perfect spot to watch the sunrise or enjoy the sound of waves breaking. The unique paintings on the rocks also display the stories of other people. Learning about others’ stories is the most beautiful thing about that spot to me.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Abby Stone (Boston): My favorite spot in Evanston is the Kilwin’s Ice Cream Shop. My friends and I went there one of the first nights and really bonded. They also have amazing ice cream!
Simrah Khan (Champaign, Ill.): I love the options they have in the variety of sweets! You can buy chocolate, ice cream, caramels, and so much more. I also love the outdoor seating option -- the entire store is really ambient!
Nikhil Daniel (Orlando, Fla.): My favorite spot on campus is Kilwins because I love ice cream and it reminds me of home. I go to Kilwins like every week and loved being able to keep the routine going.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Michelle Tang (Shanghai, China): I like Kellogg, such a great study spot especially on third floor where you can see the sport stadium and the lake.
Bani Chatha (Lancaster, Pa.): The Kellogg School of Business is my favorite spot to study on campus. I love how open and sweeping the architectural style is. It keeps me relaxed and calm when I am working on my assignments. My friends and I usually go up to the fourth floor and sit in the arm chairs in the east facing corner so we can look over the lake. The windows are so large that it almost feels like we are sitting right on the water.
Photo by Michelle Tang
Sarah Schwartz (Newton, Mass.): My favorite place on campus is the lounge on the third floor of Jones Hall because that’s where my friends and I have shared so many laughs and even more crashouts over intense and fun card games.
Maia Weissman (Glenview, Ill.): I love the third floor lounge because it's such a great place to strike up a conversation or spend a few hours cranking out an assignment. No matter when I go there, I know there will always be someone to hang out with or something to do.
Bethany Karlinsky (New York City): I love going to the third floor lounge, whether I want to study or hangout with friends. I know that whenever I go I will always be surrounded by friendly faces.
Elana Snyder (Bethesda, Md.): My favorite spot on campus is the 3rd Floor lounge. It’s a great place to finish an assignment, settle in for movie night or hang out with friends.
Cate Slaughter (Charlottesville, Va.): It is such a fun spot to sit with your friends and talk, do work, or watch movies. It was definitely a default spot for me during Cherubs.
Molly Kaplan (San Jose, Calif.): I really like spending my time on the third floor lounge by my dorm room. All my friends live close to the lounge, so it's nice to step outside the door, sit down and hang out with my friends.
Photo by Crystal Zhu
Irene Park (Fullerton, Calif.): I really love the floor 2 lounge near my room. It feels cozy, and it’s a place filled with the laughter and late-night writing sessions of my friends. More than just a community room, it’s a place filled with memories. It’s not “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” but I might just call it the best summer of my life.
Sara Ortiz Torres (Bayamón, Puerto Rico): My favorite spot on campus is the second floor lounge in Jones Hall because I’ve made so many great memories with my friends there.
Lylah Patel (New York City): I'm a big fan of the Jones lounges, particularly the one on the far side of the second floor — it's where I truly bonded with some of my closest friends.
Photo by Leah Hwang
Braden Stone (St. Petersburg, Fla.): My favorite spot on campus is the Jones Hall Great Room. It is where I have bonded with so many other cherubs and done so many fun things like played gaga ball, sang karaoke, watched The Summer I Turned Pretty, played Jeopardy and watched an amazing talent show.
Kai Shah (Burlingame, Calif.): My favorite spot on campus is the Great Room in Jones Hall because almost every night after check-in, my friends and I hang out there and create some of our best memories whether it's through fantasy football drafts, watching TV, or just talking.
Photo by Olivia Gu
Dorie Xie (Los Altos, Calif.): So many funny, lighthearted, deep and TIRED conversations shared.
Logan Szymanski (Edwardsville, Ill.): The 4th floor dorm lounges are easily the best place here. There's so many interesting conversations that happen there, and I wouldn't miss our nightly chats staying up way too late for anything.
Evelyn Kraber (Coralville, Iowa): My favorite spot on campus is probably just the lounges in Jones Hall. While they aren’t the nicest things in the world, it is a great space to hang out and get to know your fellow cherubs.
Photo by Natalia Abuladze
Jason Wang (Toronto, Canada): My favorite spot on campus is the basement of Jones Hall. I really enjoyed the darkrooms and there's also many lounges I can hang out with my friends.
Kieran Blake (Chicago): My favorite spot on campus is the basement lounge in our dorm with a TV and a pool table. I have spent countless nights down in this room playing card games with my peers, chatting it up with friends and shooting pool till the clock strikes midnight. I have gone here to get work done, watch movies while doing laundry and jam out on the guitar. As I almost never have access to a pool table at home, this lounge is the place to be on campus.
Evelyn Du (Burlingame, Calif.): I loved spending time in the basement of Jones playing cards with my friends. The late nights really brought out the best -- and the worst -- of each of us.
Rachel Yuan (Basking Ridge, N.J.): My favorite spot on campus is the basement of Jones Hall. It has three different lounges and a handful of more quiet study rooms. After the last lecture, my friends and I would gather in the basement. We would work on assignments, peer edit, play card games, watch TV and just talk about the day. It is special to me because of the people I spent time with there.
Photo by Sarah Schwartz
Lila Goldin (Jupiter, Fla.): My favorite spot in Evanston is Hokkaido Ramen & Sushi Bar. I went there for lunch on move-in day and kept bringing friends back as the program went on. I even dragged a group of 22 for a “family dinner.” If you have a chance to visit, get the Monster Roll and the Taro Milk Tea. I became a regular there just to make that order.
Photo by Elana Snyder
Isabelle Abadie (Durham, N.C.): My favorite spot in Evanston is definitely heyday Vintage. They had really cool and nicely curated clothes from the 2000s and I got my birthday outfit from there which was really fun.
Chloe Huang (Palo Alto, Calif.): My favorite spot in Evanston is heyday Vintage because of how much beautiful vintage and Y2K clothing they have. I love all the vibrant and unique patterns their clothing has and its all so one of a kind.
Gaby Foster (Menlo Park, Calif.): I love heyday's curated style. It makes shopping so much easier. They have tons of hidden gems and the best staff.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Stella Bleiweis (Bethesda, Md.): My favorite spot in Evanston to eat has been Guzman y Gomez. It’s a great Mexican place with great burritos and nacho fries. It’s perfect for a quick bite, delicious dinner, or a refreshing drink.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Crystal Zhu (Cupertino, Calif.): My favorite spot is one of the secret gardens beside Deering Library on the campus. It’s simply beautiful when the sun is out.
Photo by Crystal Zhu
Sam Ferenchick (Wynnewood, Pa.): There's a lot of public seating and shade.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Lynn-Clara Tun (Edina, Minn.): My favorite spot on campus is the second floor hallway in Fisk. I love sitting on the armchairs between mealtimes and lectures to complete quick assignments and relax.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
David Singer (Rye, N.Y.): I made it my tradition to walk there and get breakfast every week after Spit List. The workers there were super kind, and it was a great way to start my Sundays after an hour-long punishment.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Molly Chodos (Marlboro, N.J.): My favorite spot in Evanston is Cupitol Coffee & Eatery. It has a great working environment that is perfect for last minute story editing. Their gravlax bagels and vanilla lattes helped me lock in many times this summer.
Ella Smith (Oakland, Calif.): The inside of the restaurant is aesthetically pleasing with comfy couches that make for the perfect writing spot. They also have some of the best pancakes I’ve ever eaten. Their menu is extremely expansive and perfect for every occasion, whether that be a fun brunch with friends or a morning study session. The servers are also very kind and welcoming.
Jane Mercer (Memphis, Tenn.): Cupitol Coffee & Eatery is my favorite place in downtown Evanston. The food is tasty, drinks are delicious, and the atmosphere is noisy, but good for working. There are specific spots for customers to sit while they work, so you can really stay as long as you need to. It’s a bit of a walk compared to some of the other cafes, but I think it’s the best!
Sienna Tolani (New York City): Cupitol is my favorite spot in Evanston. It is a great place to get some work done while also enjoying a good meal!
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Shiori Chen (Belmont, Calif.): My favorite spot in Evanston is Colectivo Coffee. I know it’s a favorite for many, but despite its popularity, it’s still quiet enough for me to focus or enjoy a moment to myself. When I’m feeling adventurous, I’ll ask the barista for their favorite pastry—but I always order it with a large iced chai latte on the side.
Satvika Ramanathan (Ann Arbor, Mich.): It's a great place to study or chill, and I love their coffee and food. I go there so often that I joke with my friends that it's my second home. My go-to order is always an iced latte with honey.
Molly Connelly (Lafayette, Calif.): Every Saturday I would make the trek to my instructor meeting there, where I would get feedback on my work and chat about how I was feeling throughout the week. What made the place special was the time spent there after my meeting, bonding with friends who had been coming and going from their own meetings and editing each others work.
Margy Burgoon (Winnetka, Ill.): My favorite spot in Evanston is Colectivo! They have the best coffee and it's only about a seven minute walk from Jones. I loved going early in the morning with my friends to get work done before class and it was the perfect place to be productive while getting socialized! My favorite order was avocado toast and an iced salted caramel latte.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Cara Huang (Los Angeles): My favorite place in Evanston so far has been Clark Street Beach. I am not as used to swimming in lakes as I am with oceans so getting to spend time at the lake playing sports and hanging out with friends has been super fun!
Leah Hwang (Houston): I love swimming in the lake and splashing around with my friends. On a sunny day, there's no better feeling than lying on the sand and listening to your favorite music with the people that you love.
Olivia Gu (Great Neck, N.Y.): I was able to get a beach pass at the beginning of the program. I've been going almost every weekend since then and it's just a nice spot to wind down and get a nice tan.
Annika Chu (Palo Alto, Calif.): I love going to the Evanston beach. It’s the best place to go after a long day, whether we were swimming in the lake, tanning on the sand or just hanging out with friends. The view is always really pretty, and being there makes me feel relaxed and happy.
Photo by Kai Shah
Sam Yee (Granite Bay, Calif.): I like how it is a fast and healthy alternative place for food.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Fiona Kiely (New York City): My favorite spot is the Campus Gear store in Evanston. Besides being fearful to purchase merchandise due to superstitions about college applications, my friends and I had the best time exploring this giant store (pro tip: look in the basement). It is over-the-top and a perfect encapsulation of Wildcats spirit.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Sammy Gittinger (Southfield, Mich.): In Evanston, I like Buffalo Joe's. The staff there is really friendly, and it reminds me of my favorite breakfast place back at home. It's the kind of place I'd love to be a regular at, where you walk in and spend 20 minutes talking to the cashier. It has great burgers, too!
Photo by Sammy Gittinger
Zirui (Caroline) Zeng (Beijing, China): My favorite spot in downtown Evanston is Bookends & Beginnings. I love going there with friends, wandering the aisles, flipping through covers and sharing favorite titles. In an age where everything feels flat and fast, it grounds me. This program has helped me stock up on many titles I can read at Shakespeare Garden, Clark Street Beach and the lakefill.
Lina Park (Pitt Meadows, Canada): My favorite spot in Evanston is Middles Used Books, which is a part of Bookends & Beginnings! As an avid book lover, I always find the time to visit bookstores in every new city I visit, which is part of what drew me to this place. I enjoy wandering the store with friends and perusing the diverse selection of titles, which are all under $10.
Photo by Maya Segal
Leo Beirne (Brooklyn, N.Y.): My favorite spot in Evanston is Bob’s Pizza on Davis Street. The food is great, and the barrel booths on the left side of the restaurant are a lot of fun.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Alex Fagell (Bethesda, Md.): My favorite spot on campus is the Arrington Lagoon. Its always a nice spot to do work or hang out, especially on a hot day.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Juliana Agudelo Ariza (Seattle): I love Animal Records, because I am a huge fan of vinyl and I love collecting it. What makes this place even more special to me is that I had such a good experience there talking with several people in the store and getting to interview the owner, whose passion for music I shared. I also found two Queen albums (my favorite band) there that I had been looking for forever and they were in great condition. The inside was so beautifully decorated and I genuinely felt at home surrounded by vinyl wherever I looked.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan
Colin Ho (Los Angeles): My favorite lunch spot in Evanston is Aloha Poké. I prefer it over the other poké places in town because the fish is noticeably fresher, and the toppings and sauces are packed with flavor. It’s a great place to grab lunch with friends, and there’s a nice plaza right across the street where you can sit and enjoy your meal.
Photo by Satvika Ramanathan