University of Miami - Ibis Yearbook (Coral Gables, FL)

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CocoWalk is a place where many UM students go during the weekend. Its bright lights and great atmosphere draws crowds of Hurricanes. After dark, a lot of familiar faces could be seen at the many shops, restaurants and bars of CocoWalk. photos by stdcey spalter After a full week of classes, UM students want to start their weekends early, so they make time to stop by the Tavern. As you can see, the Tavern was always full on Thursday nights. w t

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wzwxwwmww, interact with people from different cultures. I have met people from different nationalities that have helped me remove some of the stereotypes I had grown up with. Living in the dorms definitely opened my outlook of the world. My roomate is from Japan. I learned a great deal from him, as he did from me. For other students, however, the dorm life was less than ideal--it was close to a nightmare. Sophomore Katie Slagon did not feel comfortable in her dorm room. There is little privacy, she commented. Your roomate is less than a few feet from your side, so it is inevitable that there will be a compromise in personal space. Freshman Jair Clarke felt constricted in his dorm room as well. I feel like a mouse in a cage, and there is little I can do to decorate my room, since space is so scarce, he said. Still others felt that eating at the dining hall was a definite problem. Chartwells can become boring, the same grilled chicken platter everyday, kinda gets a bit revolting. I am vegan so there is little I can eat there anyways. For those students that did not particularly like the dorms, there was the alternative of living in an off-campus apartment. Sophomore Justyn Stahl said he liked the kitchen in his apartment. I can cook my own dinner, where I pick out the ingredients and use the groceries that I buy without the fear of wondering 'humm . what is in this rice, did they cook it right?' It's just more convenient, he said. He explained that even though he had a roomate he never worried about privacy. I have my own space and if I want to bring people over I don't worry about bothering my roomates because there is the living room. Justin was also quick to point out that his apartments were not without its shortcomings. The dorms are safer, my apartment does not have the ethernet and I practically don't know my neighbors, but I would Choose my apartment over the dorms anyday, he commented. When asked if he would ever move off campus, freshman Kevin Murphy answered no and said he enjoyed the camaraderie on his floor. I don't think I would get that anywhere else, Kevin said. Still, there were those students who felt that they would not come back to the dorms. Katie Slagen will try to get an off- Campus apartment next year. I need my space, and I want to have my own little corner here in Ivliami.'l Jair Clarke thought he would stay in the dorms. It's just easier to live here. I have everything I need right here on campus. photos by daniel colcher home Sweet home i BY JUAN PENA mom m 23

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dark... BY FARRAH FONTAINE tudents at the University of Miami got more than just the typical college party experience. Miami was a big city with an even bigger nightlife. South Beach was internationally famous for its night clubs, and Coconut Grove, just fifteen minutes from the University, was another student hot spot. The opening of The Shops at Sunset Place in 1999 also provided a new student hang-out just across the street from school. . Compared to Savannah, the nigthlife here is off the hook. There is much more to do, it is more lively and there are different types of clubs for various moods, said sophomore Shanti Persad- Maharaj. For many students, drinking was a part of these nights on the Seniors Alyssa Bavli, Sarah Yoho, Stacey Spalter and Esther Cornfeld pause for a photo opportunity while hanging out at Hooligans Sports Bar. This was another popular place that students went on the weekends. Some bars and clubs allowed 18-year-olds in, but drinking was another matter. It's never fun spending the evening wishing for a bracelet, or wishing for the 'X' on your hand to go away, said sophomore Jan Marie Robinson. Many students found ways to get around this, however. Local club managers claimed to uphold a strict underage drinking policy, but word quickly spread about which places were strict and which werenlt. The Tavern, in the Grove, was always packed with UM students. Dancing and drinking combined was a favorite activity among students. In town. Minnesota people just go to farms and drink but here people go to clubs and dance and drink which is a lot more fun, said Nicole Wagner a freshman. Opportunities for students all throughout the city from South Beach, the Grove, Bayside and downtown meant students were never at a loss as to what to do on a Friday night.