The 5 Best Kept Secrets at Whittier College

1.) Studying in Penn Park

Whittier College is located right next door to a public park. This park is fairly small, but there is a lot of green space, picnic tables, restrooms, and benches. During the school year, the library can be a distracting place because of how many students congregate there for group projects, etc. Penn Park is an excellent alternative to studying in the library. Whittier is located in Southern California, so it is sunny almost year round. Studying in Penn Park is optimal during the early fall and spring. It feels nice to get outdoors, soak up the sunshine, and get homework done in a non-school building.

2.) Work out at the football field

The Whittier College gym has lots of equipment for weight lifting; however, it is a fairly small gym and fills up quickly every day. All of the Whittier sports teams have some component of “gym time” on top of their practice schedule, and it can be hard for non-athletes to get in and utilize the equipment. A little known fact is that students can walk up to the Whittier stadium track, football field, and bleachers. It is a nice change of pace to run on the bleachers instead of being stuck in the school’s gym. If you go prior to 4:30 PM in the fall, you can have the whole field to yourself (post 4:30 PM is when WC Football begins practice on the field).

3.) Breakfast in the Campus Inn (Cafeteria)

Whittier’s cafeteria, the Campus Inn (C.I.), is open bright and early Monday through Friday (opens at 7:00 AM). From personal experience, breakfast is the best kept secret about the C.I. Often there are hardly any people in the C.I. that early in the morning, so there is a lot of freshly made breakfast food and ample places to sit. There is a make-your-own omelet station, providing students the chance to make breakfast their way. Also offered is all-you-can-drink coffee and fresh hot food. There is almost always an offering of French toast, pancakes, and breakfast meats. The cafeteria workers are very jolly and seem genuinely happy to see you this early in the morning. It is a wonderful way to start the day.

4.) Piano Rooms

In the music building (across Philadelphia St. from the library) there are a multitude of piano practice rooms. These are almost always empty and can provide anyone with the opportunity to dabble in piano playing, singing or song writing. The music building is usually very quiet and is unlocked until around 9 PM. The isolation of the building is great for practicing oral presentations or monologues for the drama department. And if you value being alone, it could be a nice place to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the campus.

5.) CAS (Center for Academic Success)

CAS is not necessarily a secret, but I do believe it is underused by the general student population. CAS is located in the bottom of the library and has perks like coffee, candies, and sometimes food for the students who visit it. CAS has printers and computers, which come in handy when the library is too busy to access its highly coveted printers. CAS also offers free tutoring for every subject, and almost every class. This is an awesome way to get help from people who have taken the class that you are struggling in. These tutors are extremely helpful and are often more approachable and more available than the professors. It is very easy to schedule an appointment with the tutors and develop a personal relationship with them.

Katherine Van Allen, originally hailing from Portland, Oregon, attended Whittier College from 2008-2012. Katherine majored in Social Work, graduating with membership in two honor societies and one social society. Katherine played sports for three years at Whittier. She currently resides in Los Angeles and enjoys her job as a geriatric social worker.