Dos and Don'ts: Where to bring your parents on Family Weekend

Places to Go

Varsity Pizza, 802 S. Crouse Ave.

From its $2 buffalo chicken slices to its communal seating, Varsity’s hard not to love for a broke college student with a pizza tooth. Not intimate, expensive or pretentious, Varsity’s the joint to hit post-game—whether we win or lose. And you’ll love it.

(Photo: Vania Myers)

Syracuse Stage, 820 E. Genesee St.

Sure, there are other theaters in Syracuse. However, they tend to suck compared to the Stage, which is located just over half a mile from main campus. It's important to show the parents what you're learning outside class.

(Photo: Dennis Nett/ThePost Standard)

Life is a Piece of Cake, 727 S. Crouse Ave.

A man in a pink bowtie stands at the street corner. He offers you coffee and a free brownie bite. You eat, sip and keep walking. This rosy-cheeked dude just handed you sugary gold. So take his card and take your dad. The flavors make up for the bakery's girly pink décor.

(Photo: Vania Myers)

The Carrier Dome, 900 Irving Ave.

Between the football game, basketball practice (men’s and women’s) and—best of all—the marching band, you have no excuse not to drag the rents to SU’s single largest structure. With a free game thrown in every once in a while, courtesy of Doug Marrone, what better place to spend Family Weekend?

(Photo: Vania Myers)

Crouse College

By far the best building/castle on campus. People call it Hogwarts, after the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter series. Stained glass, ancient bells, the Winged Victory, and a big ol’ organ give the building a Gothic feel. Crouse sits stately on the hill—a magical complement to the Hall of Languages "Addams Family" building. An otherworldly place—share the magic.

(Photo: Vania Myers)

Places to Avoid

Oakwood Cemetery, 940 Comstock Ave.

Now that Obama and others are cracking down on medicinal marijuana, you'll have even less reason than before to hang out with a bunch of dead people and jump off headstones like an animal (we know you’ve done it). Wait till Monday night—or morning, at the very least.

(Photo: Vania Myers)

Dining Halls

We get it, Mom and Dad. You pay for our meal plans. But that means nothing to us. Most of us loathe dining hall food and eagerly anticipate the day we move out of our residence halls. So why in God’s name would you want to eat there? Take it from us, SU Food Services does a fine job, just not one you would want to experience. Pay for a decent lunch out instead.

(Photo: Vania Myers)

Shirt World, 125 Marshall St.

Yelling, grabbing, hawking, two-fer-one—these guys will stop at nothing to sell their products. God bless ‘em, because you don’t want them, you never will, and you’re wasting valuable time on Marshall Street when you could be eating at Varsity Pizza. Keep walking. Spend the $10 on a shirt somewhere more worthwhile, like Faegan’s.

(Photo: Vania Myers)

Huntington Beard Crouse Hall

No one likes HBC. Period. It used to be the Hall of Languages’ outhouse. It houses the Writing Center, Writing Program and the language department, all of which deserve better. With windowless classrooms and corridors reeking of stifled age, HBC’s only redeeming feature is its rinky-dink elevator. At least students get their exercise running up and down the stairs all day.

(Photo: SU Photo Archive)

E.S. Bird Library

Chances are this weekend, your parents will want to hang with their grown-up little rascal during the day. But veterans know that SU’s esteemed library only actually exists between the hours of 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. just before the last bus to South Campus leaves. While the temptation to show your suffering may sting, refrain. At all costs.

(Photo: SU Photo Archive)

Your Call

Chuck's Cafe, 727 S. Crouse Ave.

A burger. A cheap drink. A dive. Chuck's has been kickin’ for almost 40 years, and if you don’t bring your parents, we’ll see you there once they check into their hotel. 

(Photo: Pulled Into Syracuse Blog)

The Hypnotist, Schine Student Center Underground

He hypnotizes high schools across the country. Don’t demonize the entertainment of America’s youngsters, but understand that you’ve probably seen it already. For some, perhaps not.

(Photo: Pete Mamos)

Thornden Park, Ostrom Avenue

Depending on the weather and the time of day, an excursion to Thornden, the campus’ closest green expanse, will most likely be discouraged. Nonetheless, your level of skepticism regarding the myriad risks surrounding Thornden Park might be negligible. Up to you.

(Photo: SU Photo Archive)

Armory Square, 185 Walton St.

In general, folks like to socialize and drink. Why not do so while drooling liquid latex? For the record, we think zombies just ooze cool.

(Photo: SU Photo Archive)

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