Author: Lillian Gardiner, GED’11
As a graduate student at Penn GSE, I had just 12 months to get a taste of what Penn has to offer. Since returning last month to work in Development and Alumni Relations, I’ve already learned new things about this “small city” we call Penn.
My role has exposed me to places on campus that I didn’t even know existed! For example, we hosted an event at the Penn Museum for alumni in charge of planning their reunions. Here, they enjoyed cocktails with sphinxes and dined in the Chinese Rotunda.
On another day, I had lunch in the museum’s front garden where there is a pond filled with brightly colored carp.
I’ve also now had a chance to work inside the Law School (which appears to have a living roof), the newly renovated LEED Gold Certified music building, and the LGBT Center’s gorgeous space in the Carriage House.
Food on campus is another story… With time to visit the ample food trucks around campus I’ve added a few new ones to my repertoire. In addition to my grad school favorites, Kim’s Oriental Food and Tacos Don Memo, I’m now a regular at Tyson Bees and have upped my fruit intake thanks to all the fruit trucks. Aside from the trucks, the discovery of Insomnia Cookies inside Houston Hall has been an exercise in will power. On a healthier note, the farmer’s market hosted in front of the bookstore every Wednesday is just one happy benefit of working on Penn’s campus.
After eating, my second favorite pastime is reading, something I didn’t have much time for outside of the demands of grad school. With Penn’s inter-library loan system, I’ve been able to get my hands on books currently topping the bestseller’s list within a week! It’s the little things…
Frankly Penn 
I just started my first year and need to check out these beautiful locations! I ran into the farmer’s market in front of the bookstore couple of weeks ago and the peaches were amazing.