Movie theaters near campus

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Amber Slater

This weekend, a friend and I went off campus and saw the new The Great Gatsby movie. It was a great break from studying for finals and we were both struck by the amazing costumes, crazy party scenes, and how perfectly Leonardo DiCaprio fit the role of Gatsby.

Source: http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/50d3273ceab8ea6a3700000b-960/the-great-gatsby-leonardo-dicaprio.jpg

Seeing the movie reminded me how many theaters there are around campus. For anyone who wants to check out a new film, check out these locations:

Westminster Town Mall. The main draw of this theater is its proximity to campus. I have friends who have walked to the mall from campus for movies, food, and shopping.

Gettysburg Village. If you have a car, heading to Gettysburg is fun because it is right by the Gettysburg Outlets. The theater is really clean and usually not very full, and they have awesome stadium seating.

Hunt Valley Regal Cinemas. This is where I went this weekend! Like Gettysburg, it has stadium seating and lots of places to shop and eat. My favorite places to visit besides the theater are Noodles and Company, Wegman’s, and Ulta.

Carroll County Arts Council. If you’re looking for something nearby but less mainstream, the Arts Council is only a few blocks from campus. They hold foreign film festivals every year and this week are doing showings of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Lincoln. You can also check out local art while you’re there.

It’s always fun to take a break from reality and see a movie, and what better time to take a few hours off than finals week!

Easter on and off the Hill

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Annie Brown

My Easter weekend is quickly coming to a close.(McDaniel does not give students off on Easter Monday.) In just hours, I’ll wake up from what little sleep I end up getting tonight and make the two-and-a-half hour drive back to campus with my mom, who well then drive two-and-a-half hours back to Pennsylvania. All of the time spent commuting will be worth it though, since I had a lovely weekend with my family!

When I go home for the weekend, I usually have one of my parents pick me up on Friday afternoon. However, we did things a little differently this weekend: On Saturday afternoon, my whole family–both my parents and both of my siblings–trekked down to Westminster to see not only me but also Carroll Arts Center’s annual PEEPshow.

The PEEPshow, most fortunately, is not what its name might first imply; Westminster’s PEEPshow is a relatively new tradition in Carroll County where people create sculptures, movies, and other artwork made with Marshmallow Peeps, which are then displayed for about two weeks. I went last year with my uncle and cousin when they came to visit me, and I was so impressed with it that I went a second time that week. This year, I wanted to share the creativity and sheer awesomeness of the Peeps with my immediate family, and they were equally or more impressed by all of the great entries as I was.

The PEEPshow will be at Carroll Arts Center daily through April 7 from 10-7. If you live anywhere near Westminster, I highly suggest that you check it out, particularly if you already happen to be visiting McDaniel. But if you can’t go, fear not! There’s plenty of pictures from this year and years past here!

My fun this weekend did not stop with the PEEPshow, however. I got to go home for Easter, which was exciting since I did not get to go home for it last year (my family dared to take a vacation to California without me since my siblings were on spring break). I love Easter at home because it combines family and food with the added dimension of chocolate. This year’s Easter was extra great too. Some of my cousins, whom I don’t normally see on Easter, came because my oldest cousin, also home for Easter, had to drive back to college and my house is on the way. My extended family and I sat down to a delicious dinner home-cooked by my mother, and my dad even hid eggs around the house for my siblings, cousins, and I to find. (I’ll never be too old for an Easter egg hunt!)

My weekend was fabulous, and it’s kind of crazy that I’m still home. But the extra hours spent home instead of speeding back to campus on the night of Easter Sunday will be worth it because I truly got to enjoy my Easter weekend.

Friday night at Westminster Station

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Annie Brown

I’m not one to go wild and crazy on Friday nights, but I still like to have fun over the weekend. Often time, my friends and I will hang out in my suite’s common room (like we do on most nights), but tonight, I went with a couple of friends to Westminster Station, a local coffee shop.

Westminster Station is nice because it’s in walking distance from McDaniel (though we drove because it was cold and dark out) and because it’s open until 11 or so. They have a variety of drinks including tea, smoothies, and of course, coffee, and they’re quite tasty. They also have a gift shop with some pretty random and entertaining items. The atmosphere is nice–there’s plenty of tables but also plenty of sofas and there are more secluded and areas that are more out in the open. The bathroom is also worth mentioning, as it has a chalkboard wall. A lot of live music takes place here too.

There’s also plenty of books to read and look through. I was pleasantly surprised to find a copy of last year’s issue of Contrast, McDaniel’s literary magazine sitting on the coffee table where my friends and I situated ourselves for the evening. (I highly recommend perusing through the 2012 edition of Contrast if you ever get the chance–it’s a beautifully designed book with phenomenal prose, poetry, and artwork.) We spent a lot of our time looking through an astrology book that was also there, learning about our signs, our friends’ signs, and various interpersonal compatibility factors of each sign.

I had a lovely time and the fact that I was with a small group of friends was a nice change of pace for me. I have so many friends on campus who all like to hang out as one big group that I don’t always get to interact with my friends on a more individual basis. There’s nothing like being in a coffeehouse with good fun and good friends, and I would love go out for coffee more often.

Local lunches

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Amber Slater

It seems, when catching up with friends, that protocol is to go out to lunch. I did a lot of catching up over the break, so I bought a fair amount of lunches. I’m also a local student, so I was reminded how many good places to eat are right in town! Here are a few that are on Main Street, within walking distance from campus:

J Café

What I like most about going here is the element of comfort. The walls are a bright green and the benches are strewn with pillows. The menu offers a great variety of fare, and I’m always impressed with the freshness of the food. If you go here, it is absolutely necessary that you get a cupcake. Some of their flavors include chocolate coconut, key lime pie, and sweet potato with a caramel icing.

Raphael’s

While you should be prepared to pay a little more here, the food is excellent and I’ve always had great service. One of my favorite options is to do tapas here with friends. When the weather is nice outside, they have a back deck where you can eat. Dining out there always makes me feel like I’m at the beach!

Thai Classic

You’re guaranteed to get delicious food fast when you go to here. The staff is incredibly friendly and attentive. Though I’m obsessed with their vegetable Pad Thai, everyone I’ve ever gone with has loved their choices as well. I also recommend getting a Thai iced tea if you pop in.

Besides these, Main Street offers a ton of great dining locations worth checking out! Eating out is a great way to shake up your normal dining routine and explore town if you’re not from the area.

What to do when nobody’s around

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Robert

To be honest, the rare occasions where the entire campus clears out for breaks and only a few students who have a reason to stay into the weekend are occupying the dorms are the best! The showers are always empty, it’s quiet, the lines in Glar are short, and you can park really close to your dorm building. If you’re one who gets bored in this type of situation, or just get bored in general, I thought this might be a good time to list

What there is to do in the Westminster are for a college student:

1. The Mall – It’s within walking distance, has most major stores, a decent movie theatre, and is certainly a great way to spent an afternoon where you don’t have much to do.

2. Players Family Amusement Center – I’m only listing this one because I wasn’t even aware of it until this year, but Players is like 5 minutes from campus and has cheap laser tag, batting cages, bumper cars, and lots of other cool stuff. It may seem kind of lame but don’t knock it until you try it, cause I had a blast.

3. Bowling – Taneytown Bowl is 20 minutes away, is fairly inexpensive, and is fun for a group of people who are bored on a Thursday evening or something. I think the bowling class you can take through the Phys Ed Department bowls there also if you’re interested in going bowling on the school’s dime

4. Gettysburg – Definitely here me out on this one: Gettysburg is awesome. The outlets are fun if you’re just looking to window shop or if you’re looking for a cheap pair of fresh shoes from Payless. If you’re a history buff, which I know I am for whatever the reason, you can take part in all the fun historic Gettysburg Civil War stuff. And around Halloween, they get some cool haunted house type stuff going on. They have a website where you can find all of that stuff.

5. Baltimore – If you’re into the club scene, there are plenty of under 21 clubs in Towson and Fells Point. These actually become increasingly popular for those who are of age to drink during the weekends, and campus safety runs free shuttles to these locations for anyone who asks.

So I hope this has given some helpful insight into what there is to do at McDaniel. If none of these suit your interests, Green Terror Productions, is always running fun weekend activities; shows at the Hippodrome Theater skiing at Liberty, I went to Hershey Park last Fall, and plenty others and those usually cost between 5 and 15 dollars. I’ve never seen one that costed more than that. Anyway, food for thought.

Goodwill and Westminster Fun

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Cassie

In honor of my birthday, my sister came up (from D.C.) to spend the weekend with me. We kept the Friday night calm, going to the campus showing of Sky Fall. James Bond will always have a special place in my heart, especially those played by Sean Connery. I grew up on these movies (along with millions of other people) and will never tire of the brand. We kept the night quiet though, going to sleep early. But Saturday was an entirely different story. My sister hasn’t spent much time at McDaniel, and to be honest, I don’t venture forth into Westminster and the surrounding area much either. We started with the local mall, which offers a couple key stores including Rue 21 and their chocolate shop.

Also neatly tucked in there is the local Regal movie theater. Identity Thief was playing, and if you get the time, I would highly recommend it. Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy are a hilarious duo that had my sister and me laughing until the end. McCarthy plays the misfit Diana who goes through life ripping off people’s identities and moving on with no strings attached. Bateman plays the mild-mannered businessman who is her victim, but who eventually grounds her as they both find middle ground. I’m not even exaggerating about its comedic value. After the movie was over, the lady in front of us stood up and let my sister know that she had an adorable laugh.

We went back down 140 to the Goodwill, which is most definitely my favorite place to shop. There are treasures untold there if you’re willing to comb through the racks and racks of clothes. I’ve always wanted to do a personal rendition of Macklemore’s song “Thrift Shop” in our Goodwill, but that will have to wait for another weekend. Ultimately, my sister and I both found cute blazers. Blazers are necessary for any young woman, for interviewing, for dressing up a cute outfit, for adding a little class to your day, and for preparing to join the working world women. With less than 100 days left of school, my summer internship is approaching way too fast. But Goodwill will certainly have me prepared for it at a quarter of the retail price.

To round out my day with my sister, I brought her back to campus after stopping for food (it’s Subway’s five dollar foot long month and there is really no sane way to turn that down). In typical fashion, we spent the last night cuddled up under blankets in my room watching episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and Nashville. That’s always how we spend our last night together. Even though D.C. isn’t far (especially thanks to the new transportation line that gets you there lickety-split from campus), I’ve never quite gotten used to saying goodbye and I don’t think I ever will. It just means she’ll have to keep visiting.

Turning 21

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Cassie

Birthdays are always worth mentioning. My birthday was this past Monday, the 11^th, but as any child will tell you, it lasts the whole week. Especially in college, when packages and cards arrive sporadically. But this time, it was extended for a different reason: Westminster’s night life. As my actual birthday was on a Monday, my friends took me out for dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. A local favorite sports bar and restaurant, it was the perfect place to celebrate. As a vegetarian, they offer great options, including their black bean burger. The waitress even went out of her way to get me one of the kid crowns so that I could pretend to be a princess. For my first drink, I ordered a margarita, which was supposed to be the sweetest drink they had. Well, the waitress wasn’t quite right on that, but she still got bonus points for my crown. The good thing about being a late comer to this new age is that everyone else is already 21 and I easily pawned my drink off on to someone else.

College is about persistence and determination, though, and I wasn’t going to end my week without finding a drink I liked. I tried some at Applebee’s and some at J&P’s (each both have amazing food but I just couldn’t stand the taste of their “sweetest” drinks). Finally my friends convinced me to go to Rafael’s. Raf’s, as it is known to the locals, is a restaurant and bar, but converts into a bar and dance floor at night. There are two other bar spots in Westminster, Down Under and Johansson’s. We went at 7:30 (prime restaurant time) on Thursday (which is also college night after 9:30). Somehow, I forgot that it was Valentine’s Day. There was a special romantic menu and everything for our lovely group of seven single women. To be honest, we all had a great time, especially with the free chocolate covered strawberries and white roses. Half of our group left as they cleared away the tables (as it was now 9:30), and we moved over to the bar. Nothing has ever felt as weird in my life. But really, it’s just another part of being comfortable in the new world I’m entering. Whether I’m walking into the Baltimore Sun as an intern or a bar for a drink after work, this is what comes with being an adult. Campus is no longer both my limitation and my protective bubble. I’m grateful for the year left of college I have, to slowly venture forth and to postpone the moment I’m forced out of my nest to fall or fly. Baby steps. Even at 21.

Super Bowl bound!

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Annie Brown

After a well-played game against the New England Patriots, the Baltimore Ravens are going to the Super Bowl!

While the Ravens aren’t my favorite football team (that distinction goes to the Packers), I’m excited because life on campus (once the semester starts back up) is going to be a lot more exciting!

McDaniel College and the Ravens have always had a special connection. Through 2010, the Ravens held their annual summer training camp on campus, which made Westminster a hotspot for Ravens fans hoping to see their team in action. Disappointingly, the Ravens now have training camp at their own facility in Owings Mills, Maryland, but the Westminster community still feels closely connected to the team.

Since a lot of people on campus are from the Baltimore area and other parts of Maryland, McDaniel is full of Ravens fans. And as a result, I predict that the energy and excitement of the first week of the semester will be higher than it usually is because it will lead up to the Super Bowl!

Go Ravens!

Strange Days Indeed

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Annie Brown

The last four days have not been entirely typical of my experience at McDaniel College, but they’ll certainly be memorable.

After an evening of fun that involved watching McDaniel’s improv troupe Danger Sauce put on their annual Halloween show and going to Westminster Station for coffee late Friday night to support Advocacy Team’s “Music for Micro” event, I woke up bright and early Saturday morning to attend the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire with my friends Zach and Walter. The Office of Student Engagement sponsored the trip as one of their Weekend Blitz Trips, which was awesome since it only cost $10 to attend–much less than the typical cost of admission to the Ren Faire. The guys and I had a great time eating the food and watching the shows and we were fortunate that the weather held out on us, as it was quite cloudy throughout the day.

But my Saturday wasn’t over yet! When I got back to campus in the evening, I got busy preparing for my annual trip to the Rocky Horror Picture Show held at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster. This involved making sure my prop bag (which I ended up forgetting) was in order, putting on my costume (I decided to go dressed as Janet), and finding other people to go with. In the end, I managed to go with a pretty large sized crowd who also went in costume, and we had a really fun time! I can’t wait until next year!

I guess I had too much fun on Saturday though, for on Sunday, I woke up with a garden variety cold which I’ve been dealing with for the past three days now. (I’ll spare you the details.) Conveniently for me though, Hurricane Sandy rolled into town beginning Sunday night and class was canceled yesterday and today as a result. Thus, while other people have been spending all their time getting stuff done and having fun, I’ve been spending a lot of that time trying to sleep my sickness away.

I do want to say though that I’m extremely impressed with how the College and our Department of Campus Safety have handled the situation with the weather over the past several days. As early as Friday, the student body received emails letting everyone know that the College was monitoring the storm and preparing for the worst. As the storm made its way to Westminster and McDaniel, Campus Safety sent out countless emails, Facebook posts, and tweets letting everyone know the status of the storm and how it would be affecting us here on campus. The Office of Residence Life also sent out detailed daily emails about the storm and possible situations that could have come from it.

Even though I still have some homework to tackle (thanks, cold), I’ll be glad to get back to reality tomorrow (provided my cold goes away). Two days with canceled classes and the College being closed are quite enough, and I know that people are starting to get cabin fever. Special thanks to Campus Safety, Res Life, and those who worked in the dining hall over the past few days for helping all of us here at McDaniel weather the storm!

Local dining

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Amber Slater

Eating with friends is one of my favorite things. Whether in our dining hall or a nearby restaurant, a meal always just tastes better when I’m around my favorite people. Luckily, Westminster has a ton of family-owned dining options that are great for the college budget. Here are some of my favorites:

CUP Tea Bar and Cafe

Located on Main Street within walking distance from school, CUP offers both seasonal teas (fall flavors include Spiced Mango Chile and Swamp Water) and light fare. During colder months, it’s awesome to pop in for a pot of tea and grilled cheese sandwich. They also make their own desserts, and after ordering five cups of tea, you get a free scone!

Classico Pizzaria

My cross country team goes here after every single meet, and we often joke that we race just for the awesome food that we get after we run. They have great appetizers such as baked macaroni and cheese bites and cheese fries as well as pizzas, pasta dishes, and subs. Also located within walking distance from campus, this restaurant has a family feel and food that makes you sad when you’ve cleaned your plate because you are already craving more.

Legends Cafe

This restaurant just moved from a freestanding location to the Town Mall, and business is going incredibly well for them due to their awesome food. While entrees can be a little more pricey than the previously mentioned establishments, there are also soup and sandwich options. Plus, the theme of pop culture legends lends to a nostalgic atmosphere. While eating, you can jam to pop songs of the 60′s while watching a classic movie on the big screen TVs. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for date nights, family dinners, or just hanging out with your friends!

For more on Westminster dining, check out http://westminster.patch.com/listings/category/food-dining.

Stories from the Hill

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