The perks of studying in a city campus

By the SMU Social Media Team

As the only university located in the heart of downtown Singapore, not only is SMU is part of the city—our students and alumni will tell you that the city also is a big part of their SMU experience. Here’s a quick rundown of the many city attractions that feature strongly in our campus life.

Fitness facilities

So our campus doesn’t have a stadium or a running track. Who cares, when you can take a scenic jog along the Singapore River? Warm up with a terrain challenge by hiking up Fort Canning Hill, then down out the other side near Clarke Quay. Follow the river away from town, cross one of the bridges before you reach Zouk, and run back on the other riverbank before you return to campus via Hill Street. Total distance: between 4 to 7 km, depending on where you cross the river. The SMU Run Team has a variety of other great routes around the city; check them out if you like running in a group.

(There’s also the SMU Gym in the Concourse, if you’re more into weight training and/or if you don’t like the sun. Not to mention the swimming pool in the Admin Building. It’s like having a fancy gym membership in the heart of town, without the exorbitant price-tag.)

Photo credit: SMU Run Team

Shopping malls

It’s often said that those living in Singapore consider shopping malls their natural habitat—and who could blame us? When the sun is high in the sky and the humidity approaches 100%, an air-conditioned building is a great place to spend time between classes. Luckily for you, regardless of which school you attend at SMU, your nearest mall is no more than 200 – 600 metres away.

Our nearby malls—Raffles City, The Cathay, PoMo or Plaza Singapura—also help to expand your list of lunch and dinner options. With apologies to the fine eateries on campus, when you spend every weekday (and many weekends) in the same location for four years, you can’t help but crave some gastronomical variety. They don’t have to be pricey meals, too; check out these handy tips from our current student Damini Roy on how to feed yourself in and around campus for less than $50 a week.

Photo credit: Cathay Lifestyle on Facebook

The National Library

Even in this digital age, there are occasions that call for a specific book of the dead-tree variety. It could be that someone else has borrowed the only copy available in our own Li Ka Shing Library, or maybe you’re looking for a dose of light fiction to kill time on your bus ride home. Either way, the National Library building is just across the road from our Admin Building.

Picture credit: National Library Board

The Supreme Court

Our law students have it pretty good here: the opportunity to attend a public hearing is less than a 1 km walk from campus. Also, the State Courts are just three MRT stops away via the Circle and Northeast lines.

Museums

You don’t have to be a culture vulture to appreciate the Singapore Art Museum and National Museum of Singapore, which are located just across the road from the Li Ka Shing Library and the School of Information Systems respectively. Karl Gan, a current student majoring in Arts and Cultural Management, enjoys visiting the Singapore Art Museum every few months. Besides the practical applications for completing his Intro to Museum Management module, Karl finds that museums provide him with intellectual food for thought: “Artistic work is valuable as a source of thought for thoughts’ sake. Go to the museums, appreciate some art, broaden cultural horizons, and it really recharges the brain and improves your thinking process, without having to go through any dreaded projects or exams.” Find out more about the museums and other cultural spots in Karl’s post on this blog.

Undergraduate applications are open — visit admissions.smu.edu.sg to learn how you can Transform into a Different U.