• the217
• Life
• Best Place to Avoid College Students

Downtown Champaign: is it a hub for the “elite” and pretentious of this campus or simply a means of escaping college students? According to those who frequent the area, both answers are correct. While the college student drinks at Joe’s and CO’s, the elite students knock ’em back at The Blind Pig and Mike & Mollys. Where the college student eats at Chipotle, Jimmy Johns and Domino’s, the elite students eat at places like Dos Reales, The Office, Rocks and Jupiters. On the other hand, the “college student” is also more often than not an underclassman, and you don’t have to be “elite” to enjoy a little breather from underage growing pains. I talked to a few downtown folk to see what they had to say regarding the matter:

William E. Rinehart, LAS graduate:

“When I started going to school at the U of I, I only used to frequent the campus establishments, but as time progressed, I started to venture out into downtown Champaign ... and I found that the downtown area has a certain feel to it. It is relaxed much like campus, but there isn’t this overwhelming sense that drunk people are waiting at the next corner to berate you. Plus, the beer is better and the selection is wider.”

Matthew Filter, LAS senior:

“It’s a great place to relax, go out and have a real conversation without having drunk people spill beer on you. You get to meet new and different people downtown.”