I’ve been here on the Armstrong Campus since 2020; during COVID, the campus was quite desolate, essentially a ghost town, which allowed me to learn the ins and outs of the campus and the elements that separate Armstrong from every other college campus in the world.

The Galley

One of the first elements that I will mention is the Galley. Everyone that I know that has made the trip down from Statesboro notes that the Galley is superior to the dining hall in Statesboro.

Likely because of the smaller size, Nonetheless I can assure you that you will be getting the best gourmet at Georgia Southern University.

Furthermore, if you are a freshman living on campus, you must have either the Eagle Gold or Eagle Blue dining plan. Both of these dining plans are excellent; to save some extra cash, you should take advantage of them.

In addition to all access to The Galley, you receive either $100 or $300 in Dining Dollars, which can be used at The Perk, Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, and Southern Café.

I suggest spreading these dining dollars out as they can come in handy later. You should instead eat at The Galley as much as possible you won’t regret it.

Lane Library

The Lane Library on campus has a case for being perhaps Armstrong’s most hidden gem; in the age of technology, libraries, in general, have seemed to get forgotten in a sense.

I am here to tell you, however, that our campus library has many resources and services at your disposal.

For one, one of my favorite areas on campus is the massage chair in the library, and it really can help alleviate stress and relax muscles. It has a time limit, although it isn’t enforced because of the chair’s lack of traffic. It is a spot where you will likely encounter me in the upcoming semester.

The library also has mics, headphones, cameras, PCs, and Macs available to rent for a week. Additionally, at times the Learning Commons can be quite packed. If you are looking for a study room, the library, however, has study rooms available to rent as well.

The library also is where the writing center is located, where you can receive help on papers and essays. Not to mention the terrific librarians and library staff as a whole who are always looking to help students due to students never reaching out. If you ever need help with citations or research of any kind, then I strongly suggest reaching out to one of the reliable librarians at our Lane Library.

Bookstore

You will have to purchase books for classes. I suggest doing so as soon as possible because the quicker you do, the better chance you have of getting what you need. Everyone will come in at some point looking for books, possibly the same ones that you need.

Even more, if you use financial aid to buy books, you only have about two weeks to do so, or you will have to come out of pocket, which can be costly if you haven’t budgeted for such.

Also, towards the end of the semester, the textbook buyback option becomes available, allowing you to sell your books back to the bookstore. Albeit you must own the book, not rent it though, in order to sell it back.

Lastly, throughout the semester, the bookstore holds various sales, which you can purchase Georgia Southern gear, supplies, and even technology for a discounted price that you can’t beat.

Starbucks

Simply put, the Starbucks on campus is phenomenal, and the staff is even better, yes, I have bias, but putting it to the side, I can genuinely say that it is excellent.

If you need a place to study or just a place to have a great cup of coffee, then Starbucks is the place to go. You will receive great service and will likely find a cool person or two who you could possibly befriend.

In my case, I found a study partner in Starbucks that was invaluable in my time taking chemistry which was a horror story up until I found them.

Above all, the Starbucks on campus is just an overall good vibe that can bring up any mood you are in.

Office of Career and Professional Development

The last place I will mention is the Office of Career and Professional Development, which helps students explore majors, identify career options, gain related work experience, award non-credit “tuition free” co-op/internship hours, and provide guidance and help with resumes.

Even more, I suggest checking out their career closet, which provides students with professional attire for free.

Above all, I implore you to get acquainted with the office director Dr. Glen Gibney, who is a great resource himself. Someone who is sure to go the extra mile for us students, and I’m sure he would be of immediate help to you.

Overall, you will have a blast here on the Armstrong Campus, and you will discover many more resources and places that will benefit you. I suggest you check us out here at the Inkwell in the ARC in room 226. We are always looking for new staff, and once you join, we are a resource that will be helpful as well.