Written by Vanessa Willoughby
Emerson doesn’t have a “traditional campus,” which means the campus is more or less integrated into the city, and there are few fun and convenient facilities for students. Although Emerson no longer has a student union, the new building, Piano Row, now houses all of the student life organizations. There’s an off-campus student center lounge, but it’s basically an extension of the café on the same floor.
As for other facilities on campus, there’s a 10,000-square-foot fitness center, which houses treadmills, strength machines, a couple rowers, some bikes, and Stairmasters. The fitness center also has a free-weight room, a group exercise room, and sauna. The place isn’t very big, but it doesn’t feel cramped, unless there are dozens of other people there at the same time you are. The library is also sort of small but very useful. Emerson is part of the Fenway Library Consortium, which is a group of libraries in the city that allow materials to circulate between institutions. Emerson librarians are helpful, but there are few—so make sure you have time to wait for someone to help you. Though Emerson doesn’t have as many amenities as other colleges might, it does offer the facilities that will help you with what you’re here for. And if you ask Emerson students what they’re here for, they most likely won’t say “to work on my pecs.” Overall, the facilities are useful but undersized.