JMU Secrets and Life Hacks

Hey everyone! Welcome back to another week of my blog! This week, I'm going to give you all of the tips and tricks that I have learned during my four years as a student at James Madison University. While I'm sure many of you reading are already students, keep reading, because there may be things you didn't know either!

1. The Truth Behind the "Quad Tunnels"

If you go to JMU, you definitely have heard about the secret tunnels under the quad. If you haven't heard, to summarize, the rumor is that when James Madison University used to be "Madison College" for women from the 40s-70s, the girls and school staff would commonly use the tunnels under our school's quad to avoid harsh weather. Upon doing research, JMU has even published a page on their website about the rumors saying that it was true! (Check it out here.)And while the rumors run rampant now, I'd argue that the longer time goes on, the more and more popular the idea of the tunnels gets.

When I was in high school and on break from college, I worked as a server at a "fine-dining" restaurant inside of a retirement community in my hometown. I had the chance to speak to one of the residents in this community and ask her what she knew about the tunnels. What she told me, however, was contrary to everything that has been said. In fact, since her time going there in the 60s, she had never even heard of the tunnels, let alone walk through them! The JMU article I linked does say that the tunnels were closed off to students in by the 1960's, but it does go to show that there is definitely more fascination with them now than ever before!

2. How to Get Perfect Parking Every Time

One of the most common complaints I hear from students (and I have been one of these students quite a few times) is that parking on campus is horrible. You'll hear "I circled up and down a parking deck for an hour before I found a spot!" or "Parking services needs to build more parking!" over and over throughout your time at JMU. However, since driving and parking on campus since 2022, I have found the perfect formula to getting a parking spot on campus--even in the most popular parking decks.

Here's my best advice:

• Get there early!

  • The biggest trick is to get there when the class block before you is out of class. For example, if your class starts at 11:10am, you will want to get there by the time the class that is currently ending is done which would be 10:50am.

  • This can work well, but can be stressful if executed exactly like that because you may be circling for at least 10 minutes while waiting for someone to get to their car which doesn't give you much time to get to class. This leads me to my next piece of advice:

• Make a plan that works for you

  • If you are worried about not making it to class on time here is what I would recommend:

    • Make sure you are in the parking deck BEFORE the class before you gets out. Going back to our previous example: Instead of getting there right at 10:50am, I'd get there at 10:30am or 10:40am to already be circling. This helps you beat traffic from everyone getting in at that time and increases your chances of getting a spot from someone who got out of class early or happens to be leaving campus. OR

    • Go before the class before yours. For example, get to the parking deck for the 9:35am-10:50am block (so 9:15am). This guarantees that you will get a spot in advance and gives you time on campus to study or grab food! This is a more time consuming option, but if you are someone who likes to study on campus, I would highly recommend it.

• Never Stop Circling!

  • While all of the advice I mentioned above is sure to help you out the next time you try to fight your way through student parking, the most important thing to remember is: KEEP CIRCLING! You will never find a parking spot if you give up. Sometimes it can be really infuriating to have to keep driving up and down to get a spot, but YOU WILL FIND ONE!

• What if I am actually going to be late for class?

  • Okay if you are actually going to be late for class (this has only happened to me one time), I'd recommend trying to get there earlier next time, but in the meantime, you will 100% without a doubt find parking in Ballard parking deck (have to take a bus from East Campus or walk most likely), C4 lot, Convo Lot, or the lot across the street from the parking lot next to Newman Lake.

• Is it the same for my 8am?

  • NO! If you have an 8am, disregard everything that I said before. Circling a parking deck/lot is NOT going to be a worry for you. If you are planning on parking in Grace Street Parking Deck, be there before 7:30am, and if you are parking in Champions Parking Deck, be there before 7:40am. All other decks should be slightly more relaxed if you are getting there later! If you are trying to get to campus around 8am on a Monday or Wednesday, try to get there before 8:15am, and if it is a Friday Champions won't be an issue for a few hours.

3. Never Run Out of Dining Dollars Again

Now this is a very straight forward tip, but I had to share it! If you have a meal plan (first-years, I honestly have no clue if this applies to you), you are able to convert all of your punches for the semester into flex dollars! Here's how this is beneficial to you:

• Flex dollars roll-over between semesters, so if you don't use all of them, you have the next semester to use them! With a traditional meal plan, whatever you don't use, you lose.

• You can buy anything you want! You will no longer be held back by Duke Deal options only AND you can use them off campus at places like Starbucks, Qdoba, and more!

The only catch with this is that you have to act fast and you can't change your mind. Typically card services makes you wait a week or two at the beginning of the semester to be able to convert your punches and then only allows it for a short period of time. You also cannot convert your meal plan back for that semester after choosing to do this. This is a great option if you typically are not liking Duke Deal options but want to have a meal plan!

In all, James Madison University is an AMAZING school. I have loved every second being here, and I hope those that read this who are attending love the school as much as I do. While I love this school, I truly think that if you follow these tips, you'll get an even greater experience out of your time in college! Let me know what you all think! Do you have any life-hacks for college students? I'll be reading and responding to them below.

Until next time, Readers!