NU Declassified: Meet me downtown

Anavi Prakash, Assistant Audio Editor

February 21, 2024

Downtown Evanston has several places to shop and eat, but for Northwestern students, some places stick out more than others. Listen to this episode of NU Declassified to learn more.

[nat sound of downtown]

ANAVI PRAKASH: Those are the sounds of downtown Evanston. There’s singing birds, everpresent construction and blaring sirens. But for Northwestern students, there are a few sounds – and places – that stick out.

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From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Anavi Prakash. Welcome back to NU Declassified, a look into how Wildcats thrive and survive at Northwestern. In today’s episode, we will learn more about where Northwestern students like to go in downtown Evanston – and what those places sound like.

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ANAVI PRAKASH: Weinberg freshman Kevin Hu said downtown Evanston is “useful.”

KEVIN HU: I think it’s okay, I think it has all the necessities for college students and it’s pretty accessible, at least from where I live.

[nat sound of downtown]

BERNIE WALDMAN: I end up at Insomnia quite a bit. I have the monthly subscription, so that’s a free cookie every single day.

ANAVI PRAKASH: That was McCormick freshman Bernie Waldman. For $9.99 a month, a CookieMagic subscription gives members one cookie a day –– among other perks.

Out of Insomnia’s various options, Waldman has narrowed it down to two chocolatey favorites.

BERNIE WALDMAN: I like the Double Chocolate Chunk one if I’m just getting a classic. The peanut butter deluxe ones are also very good.

[nat sound of Colectivo]

ANAVI PRAKASH: Communication freshman Hannah Otness said she enjoys going to Colectivo Coffee.

[nat sound of Colectivo]

HANNAH OTNESS: It has a really nice atmosphere and I feel like everybody’s been to Starbucks and the drinks are old hat, I like trying something new and different that I wouldn’t have thought up on my own.

ANAVI PRAKASH: Her order is the Windy Ci-Tea, which includes lavender syrup.

HANNAH OTNESS: The lavender feels different and floral and I feel like a lot of coffee shops don’t have lavender, so it’s cool and different and unique.

ANAVI PRAKASH: Colectivo is always full of people, creating an atmosphere Otness enjoys.

HANNAH OTNESS: Compared to studying in the library, it doesn’t feel lonely or isolating. You feel like you are surrounded by people, but it’s not hectic at all.

ANAVI PRAKASH: Otness said Colectivo’s atmosphere is more comforting than Newport Coffee House, which she describes as “sterile.”

HANNAH OTNESS: It’s very white and modern, which I guess some other people like.

ANAVI PRAKASH: But, she said she does enjoy Newport’s offerings from time to time.

HANNAH OTNESS: They have a lot of vegan and gluten-free pastry options, which is cool, and they also have really good smoothies that I’ve gotten a few times with my friends.

ANAVI PRAKASH: Hu, however, prefers Newport.

[dramatic sound]

ANAVI PRAKASH: At Newport, each table has its own hanging light, making it more intimate.

[nat sound of Newport Coffee House]

ANAVI PRAKASH: Hu said his usual order is a cold brew.

KEVIN HU: It’s very smooth. I don’t know how to describe it. You could taste the coffee bean, you know? It’s really good.

ANAVI PRAKASH: Hu said he starts his weekly downtown trips at Newport and then makes his way to Target, where he stocks up on anything he needs … and one constant purchase.

KEVIN HU: Every time I go to Target I always buy berries but like, I don’t go to Target for the berries. It’s just like I’m there, so might as well get some berries.

[nat sound of Target]

ANAVI PRAKASH: Walking into Target, you’re immediately immersed in rows and rows of stuff. From shampoo to party decor, the store has everything. The berries are past the clothing section, which is currently full of St. Patrick’s Day-themed items.

Otness said she also gets berries during her Target runs.

HANNAH OTNESS: My go-to item is blueberries. I pretty much weekly get a container of blueberries to put in my fridge for the week because the dining halls don’t have berries and I love to have berries and oatmeal.

ANAVI PRAKASH: Food-wise, Hu said he and his friends enjoy trying out new places to eat in Evanston, but he wishes there were more options.

KEVIN HU: I wish there were more late-night options for food or more fast food or just quicker non-sit-down restaurants.

There’s a Chipotle, but it would be nice if there’s a Panda Express, a Canes or something that’s like easy to get food, you don’t have to sit down and wait for your food.

ANAVI PRAKASH: That’s not the end of Hu’s gripes with downtown Evanston.

KEVIN HU: Fall quarter, there were a lot of rats and it was really gross, and I did not want to walk anywhere in downtown because everywhere you would go there would be rats scurrying across right in front of you. And it was super scary, you know?

[music fade in]

ANAVI PRAKASH: Despite the rodents, there’s a lot of love for downtown. From berries to cookies and from cold brews to Windy Ci-Teas, these are the sounds of Wildcats’ go-to places in downtown Evanston. No rats invited.

[music]

ANAVI PRAKASH: From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Anavi Prakash. Thanks for listening to another episode of NU Declassified. This episode was reported and produced by me. The audio editor of The Daily Northwestern is Anita Li, the digital managing editors are Ashley Lee and Micah Sandy, and the editor-in-chief is Avani Kalra. Make sure to subscribe to The Daily Northwestern’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or SoundCloud to hear more episodes like this.

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Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @anavi_52