Whenever you think of St. John’s University, the giant main campus located in Queens, New York may come to mind. However, just across the Verrazano Bridge, above the hill in Grymes Hills, past Wagner College, lies St. John’s “other” campus, located in Staten Island, New York. Some people didn’t know we existed; students from the main campus probably didn’t even know we existed. However, what makes our campus great are the students that belong to it. When you visit that campus on the hill, you will meet numerous personalities. Doesn’t matter if you bump into them once a week or every day, they are their own unique selves that make St. John’s Staten Island set apart from the other campus’s.
Here are the personalities of St. John’s Staten Island that you just won’t be able to avoid.
1. The Campus Center Lingerer
The Campus Center is the main most lively building on campus. Students use the Campus Center for studying, hanging out, watching TV, eating and playing ping pong or pool. Every student has gone to the Campus Center at least once. However, there is always that one Campus Center lingerer. In other words, a student who is always in the Campus Center lounging area watching TV or catching up on some homework. It seems that no matter when you go to the campus center, they are always there.
I have to admit, I am guilty of being a Campus Center lingerer. I usually catch up on some homework or do some studying. But my other fellow lingerers always seem to be there. You never see them leave. You definitely won’t fail to meet a campus center lingerer. It is like they eat, sleep and awake in the Campus Center, every day. Become their friend, you might as well since they basically live in that lounge, on that same chair, watching that same show on TV.
2. The Hill Hikers
The hill hikers are some of St. John’s strongest. To get to the campus, you have to go up that huge hill. Some students aren’t able to get car rides to and after school. They have to take the bus. However, the bus that is supposed to take them up the hill can be delayed or just does not show up.
With no other choice, they unfortunately are left to hike up the hill which is about a 15–20-minute walk. So, when you are in the car driving to school you might see some students hiking up that hill. They either stand at the very bottom hoping a bus magically appears, or hope they see some familiar faces to give them a ride. But with no other choice, they are left to hike. Let me tell you, it is not an easy walk. By the time you’re on the top your calves are burning, feeling like the day after leg day but 20 times multiplied. Usually going to class out of breath and dripping sweat. They truly are very strong students.
“It was a funny experience, considering I couldn’t drive at the time. I had to walk all the way from the bus stop across the street from the Olive Tree Market to the entrance of the school. That was a full body workout and woke us up,” St. John’s University junior Veronica Minissale said. “The reason it was funny cause it was my first day of freshman year. Me and my two friends were sweating so much, and we got to class five minutes late. I was wearing black leggings and the seats were red, when the class finished, and I stood up I had red horizontal marks on the back of my leggings. Definitely can say it’s an experience to be a hill hiker.”
The hill hikers are students you will for sure see when you’re on your way to school every morning. You might even see them on your way home, hiking down the hill, a much easier hike. If they’re lucky, the bus might actually show on time, or they might see a kind student willing to save them from the horrid conditions of walking that hill. It is a good workout though, and one of the lovely quirks of the campus. Show them some respect, because after their experiences they can for sure hike any hill, big or small. If they become grandparents or parents, they can even use the phrase, “Back in my day, I had to hike a hill to get to school every day.”
3. The Turkeys… Literally
Staten Island: the only borough in New York City where there are wild turkeys running loose. They are Staten Island’s very own. They are also St. John’s Staten Island’s very own. Even though the turkeys don’t pay tuition to be on campus, we can still consider them students, right? You can’t avoid seeing turkeys whenever you’re walking between class to class.
“It was our first day of freshman year at St. John’s and we were already running late because the bus did not come on time. Eventually, when we got to the campus there was a group of turkeys blocking the entrance to DaSilva Hall, where our class was,” St. John’s University junior Arianna Pacelli said. “The turkeys were not planning on leaving, and we were not planning on trying to scare them away. Thankfully, a professor scared them away for us.”
Staten Island turkeys can be intimidating sometimes, but they just mind their own business. They stroll around the campus usually hanging out on the sides of DaSilva or on The Great Lawn. As intimidating as they look, they are the harmless unofficial mascots of the Staten Island campus. We consider them students. You definitely will not be able to avoid the turkeys, they are making their way to classes too, with their little turkey cliques.
4. The Ballers
The gym ballers, the wannabe NBA stars. As Staten Island’s campus does not have their own athletes, they are for sure considered them. Every time you step foot in the gym, you will consistently see the same faces in a very serious game of basketball. They walk into class everyday with only one thing on their minds: that after school basketball game. They all gather a bunch of people and ball the day away. You might be an outsider if you to want to play a game of basketball. You’ll be banished to the back of the gym, because probably will take all the good hoops. Ask them for some basketball tips, they are sure to help and (of course) show off a bit.
5. Ping-Pong Politicians
A specific group you are sure to meet on campus are the ping-pong politicians. Student government by day, and ping pongers once that last class ends. They are the Staten Island campus’s very own ping-pong politicians. They usually can be seen to hang out in the student government office in the campus center. But when they are not in class, you will find them at the ping-pong table.
“We usually play ping-pong because it helps pass the time on those long two-hour breaks,” St. John’s University junior and Staten Island campus Student Government President Nicholas Riccardelli said. “There were days where some of us had to wait for an event at 1:50 or even 3:00 we’d spend the time playing ping-pong, it became less about the ping-pong and more so about the talking. It was a good way to stay engaged and playing became effortless.”
Not only do they work hard to make the campus great, but they are great ping-pong players too. As much as they played it, ping-pong became like second nature. If you ever need some tips on getting good on ping-pong, be sure to ask the champions. Whenever you need them, be sure to check the ping-pong table.
6. The Studious Studiers
Not only are they regulars at Loretto Memorial library, but they are also high achievers and dedicators. They always choose that same spot, whether it’s in the downstairs library with a view, or the upstairs library on one of the couches. So, think twice about thinking you’re going to snag their seat. These bookworms never take a day off studying and reading. Campus event going on? Food trucks outside? Nope, they stay in the library. Befriend them, they can be good motivators and tutors. The grind does not stop for them.
7. The Rosati Hall Ghosts
All the students have been in almost all the buildings on campus, that is however not the case for Rosati Hall. It mostly holds offices for professors and faculty and empty rooms. There’s maybe just less than a handful of students that hang out in the hall because it is ideal, quiet, study spot. However, some students say that it’s way too creepy to enter. Other students say, once you go in its super dark. Others say it’s haunted. Guess we’ll never know… that is unless you step foot in there. Or ask the very few same students that use it as a study spot.
8. The Kelleher Gamers
If you’re lucky, you might walk into Kelleher at the right time and catch the Kelleher gamers. These specific gamers usually hang out on the Kelleher couches either playing games on their laptops, playing cards or even playing Just Dance. There is sometimes even karaoke that goes on. Or they usually hang out and watch TV. You can also hear the sounds of dumbbells banging on the floor from the upstairs fitness center. There are always the same familiar faces in Kelleher. Either studying, quickly napping and even very focused gaming.
9. The After Class Bolters
You undoubtedly will meet an after-class bolter. Or you might just miss them. Once their last class ends, they bolt straight out to the parking lot, into the car and straight on home. You never see them at any school events or go into any buildings that their classes aren’t held. They have friends, but it seems like they only spawn into their classes, and once they end, they spawn right back home. You will meet an after-class bolter, but be sure to get their number then, because once that class ends you won’t see them again, till the next class.
10. The Campus Teleporters
They are the students who you can never seem to not see on campus. No matter where you are, what you are doing, they are always there. Everywhere you go, you just see them. It is almost like they are in a game, and they just can’t go past the gates of the campus. Their spawn point is wherever you are. They are the teleporters. Whenever there are events at school, they are always there. Want to do some studying in DaSilva Hall? Yup, they are there too. Decided to go outside for a breath of fresh air, there they are, just walking across campus. Walked into a class, and they are there too.
“There is this one person I always see on campus, everywhere I go. One day I’ll see them hanging in the cafeteria then 5 minutes later I’ll see them across campus. It’s not a big campus but it’s not that small to see them everywhere,” St. John’s University senior Peter Rapaglia said.
If you go to the campus, you might have your own campus teleporter. They are the people you definitely will not be able to avoid. You, however, may be someone else’s campus teleporter. Next time you’re on campus play eye spy and see how many times you see them where you are. See them more than three times a day? Bingo.
