By: Ehmed Nauman, Loyola Junior
Thanks to a beautiful summer in Rogers Park, many Loyola students took the time to explore and find places to have a moment of peace from the stresses of college classes.
With winter around the corner, a safe and comfortable place to relax off campus can help students feel more at home in Rogers Park – even when gloomy weather makes exploring the neighborhood more difficult.
For students looking to find a place to study, read, or just relax with a hot coffee and all kinds of fun treats, local favorite, The Common Cup (501 W Morse Ave.) is highly recommended. Their fall-appropriate candy corn latte especially peaks the interest of Loyola senior Blake Beck, a Common Cup regular.
Beck said, “I used to go to The Common Cup at least every other day when I lived above it. I’ve moved further away now but they have their candy corn latte again which I’m so excited about.”
Loyola senior and English major Jennifer Nguyen suggests Metropolis Coffee Company (1039 W Granville Ave.) off the Granville stop as the perfect place to read and relax.
Nguyen said, “I’m a lot more productive when I’m outside my house and Metropolis has a really good atmosphere to read and study when I have to. I also really like to sit in the quad when the weather is nice but recently it’s been all wet.”
It’s clear that Loyola students find solace in the numerous cafes Rogers Park has to offer, but for students looking to take advantage of the outdoors found in the neighborhood, Loyola beach is a well-agreed upon favorite.
Beck Said, “I’m one of those Oregonian tree huggers so I miss having a body of water in front of me and it’s really nice to have a beach with sand to escape from the concrete jungle of Chicago. My roommate and I did a sunrise yoga on one of the piers that goes out into the water when it was still nice and not super hot. Those were the days when the rest of the world just melted away – no distractions or busy school life yet.”
Even though Chicago weather is changing from the heat of the summer, Loyola Park and Beach are still some of the most beloved areas to unwind.
Neve Ryan, Loyola junior, finds herself wanting to go back to the park even when snow blankets the ground and the lake freezes over.
Ryan said, “I loved going to Loyola Park with friends especially when we had to social distance during COVID. I go like once or twice a week and I love having the chance to just get away from the city even though the park is just a few feet from my apartment. I like to have picnics at the park even when it’s a little cold with my friends. It’s always chill vibes at Loyola Park.”
On Friday nights and weekends, Ryan also frequently visits local favorite live music venue and restaurant, Archie’s Cafe (1228 W Loyola Ave).
She said, “When I found Archie’s I could just hear live music from pretty far away. My friends and I scouted it out and ended up loving the place. It was like discovering a hidden gem. Archie’s is definitely one of my favorite places to hang out with my friends and after a long week.”
Even though the weather is quickly changing and dreary days are ahead, Loyola students and Rogers Park residents have endless opportunities to experience community and nature no matter how cold it is outside.
