By Ava Thompson
Even though UMD seems like any other college campus, the university has some secret gems hidden away from the well-trod path. Hidden from the naked eye, secret hangout spots at University of Maryland attract students who are willing to put in some walking — or climbing — to find the perfect location.
Stargazing on the golf course
One night with his friends, freshman mechanical engineering major Thomas Griffith was trying to find the observatory to stargaze.
When he cut through the golf course, Griffith said he found the north campus spot to be a beautiful place to stargaze because of how far someone can get from street lights and roaring roads.
“It does provide me, like, a sense of just escape from the world around me,” he said. “Because it’s not like being on campus at all because, instead of being surrounded by people, there’s no one there. Instead of being full of bright lights that are just always glaring at your face, it’s a place that’s dark, and it’s a place that you can feel like it’s part of nature.”
The hill beside Clarice
Outside the second floor of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, one may spot bright table umbrellas sitting beside a woody hill.
Emmanuel Allenn, a freshman letters and science student, said he found the peaceful hill when he was walking to his UNIV100 class in the Clarice theatre. The freshman said he couldn’t see the hill from anywhere on campus and enjoyed its secrecy.
“I didn’t really tell anyone or any other friends of this place,” Allenn said. “Because I kind of saw this and I was like ‘Oh, something like I wanted to keep to myself.’”
Separated from urban hazards, deer were roaming behind the hill.
“A lot of places on campus are beautiful like this,” Allenn said. “ I feel like if people take more time to explore this and look around it [and] appreciate how pretty this campus is.”
Preinkert Hall rooftop
The rooftop of Preinkert Hall offers a sight to behold and is raved about on Reddit. However, the secluded rooftop isn’t visible from the front.
On the side of the building, a black fire escape leads to the rooftop. Marked with dark photo prints and vandalized generators, the south campus rooftop provides a clear view of the sky — but sightseers should bring a clean blanket to sit on.
Huey the Helicopter
Hidden by a row of trees and the Facilities Management building, Huey the Helicopter is certainly well-loved.
Huey sits between the facilities building and the Xfinity Center. The helicopter is no longer operational and won’t be leaving behind his forested surroundings or groundhog neighbors anytime soon.
According to Terrapin Tales, UMD’s archive, the Maryland Air National Guard donated the Bell UH-1H (Huey) in 1998 to the Department of Aerospace Engineering.
The helicopter has some broken windows but the gears and switches are all still there for curious snoopers.
