“What is the best kept secret for each department of study not publicly announced to the student body?

Dear Bluejay,

While some students are cramming for final exams right around the bend, I love that you find the time to hunt down hidden gems tucked inside Creighton’s halls. And trust me — every department has its treasures. They just don’t always share about them on the front of our brochures or signage all around campus.

Let’s start with the College of Arts and Sciences. Did you know the Lied Art Building doesn’t just house classrooms, but also has fully accessible music practice rooms with real pianos and recording equipment? You don’t have to be a music major to use them – just a Bluejay with a beat and a dream.

For our future nurses, in the College of Nursing there’s a “Relaxation Room” that is tucked away near the simulation labs. It is a space where anyone can decompress (literally, with massage chairs) after back-to-back clinicals.

If you’re in the Heider College of Business, the best-kept secret isn’t buried somewhere in a spreadsheet or in your economics textbook—it’s on the top floor of the Harper Center. Tucked away above the buzz of classrooms, lecture halls and the auditorium are a handful of quiet, hidden meeting spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer some of the best views on campus.

Whether you’re tackling a group project, hosting a study session or just need a moment to breathe and watch the world go by, these spots feel like your own little corner of Creighton.

And let’s be honest—there’s something about watching the sunset over campus. These rooms are especially great while you are pacing dramatically on a phone call that makes you feel like you’re starring in a very important, very intense episode of “Suits.” I have definitely done this before. Bonus points if you show up in business casual and pretend you’re closing a deal instead of cramming for an impending final.

Pre-medicine and pre-dental students, listen up! The anatomy models in the lower levels of Criss are available for practice even when class isn’t in session. No need to book a formal lab—just scan in and explore. If you whisper nice things to the skulls, they might whisper back MCAT tips. Or, “Have you seen any eligible partners come this way, because I don’t want a job?”

The true secret? Creighton is full of these little hidden gems—study spots, insider tips and amazingly helpful professors with open doors—but they rarely appear on a tour. You find them by wandering, asking questions and being the kind of student who doesn’t settle for surface-level interactions. So keep looking. Because at Creighton, the real education happens somewhere between the syllabus, the secrets and the friends you make along the way.

Best,

Bluejay