I recently graduated from CMU, and loved my time here and would recommend the college heavily to anyone wondering whether they should come here. However, with enrollment at almost half of what it was in the peak period of mid-late 00s, I can't help but feel that I missed out on a greater period of Central's history. Seeing relics of the past, like that building on north campus that I'm pretty sure I heard used to be a 24/7 restaurant or something like that with one of those old school phone booths still visible until recently, made me even more curious about how the experience here used to be. What was the campus culture? How crazy were the parties here before that police crackdown a few years back? What defunct restaurants/activities/groups used to be around when campus was more alive? How did anyone find parking back then with such a large enrollment when parking is already such a hassle on campus today?
Anyone who went to CMU in the 2000s before enrollment started declining - what was it like?
CommunityI started as a freshman at CMU in 2001. I wasn't big into the party scene but I remember Main St and Washington St just full of hundreds of people every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night with frat row being incredibly popular. As I got older, going to The Bird and Blackstone became the favorite places of my group. The Cabin was also renovated when I started which has been either closed or not the same for years before my arrival. That also became a familiar haunt.
With so many people on campus, classes were always packed. Basic 101 and 105 classes had around 200 people in each one. Trying to schedule for classes on the new Oasis and Blackboard system was a struggle with everything filling up so fast. The new library had just been opened and finding a good spot was difficult with everyone wanting to take advantage of the new location.
I lived in Barnes Hall (which has now been demolished). I didn't go to many other dorms because there were always people to be with or events to do. For my generation, dorm life was the thing to do. You had great pride in your dorm and floor and generally did everything with that group.
I lived my years at CMU even though I struggled with major life issues during my time but I will always fondly remember it.
Cabin pizza was 🔥 They used to run a Wednesday special of a pizza and pitcher for $5