Valentine’s Day in Auburn is all about good company and great vibes—whether you’re planning a romantic date, celebrating with friends, or just having fun between classes.
Design Your Own Bouquet at Hey Day Market
Want to tap into your creative side? On February 14th from 10 AM–2 PM, you and your date or friends can design a personalized bouquet together on The Lawn at Hey Day Market. It’s a unique, festive way to celebrate the season and grab pictures too. Check out the event here: https://heydaymarketauburn.com/valentines-day-at-hey-day-market/
Grab a date or a friend and head to Glazed Valentine’s Date night on Friday, February 13th. Ticket includes a medium-sized ceramic vase to paint as well as a customizable floral bouquet. Learn more here: https://glazedpyop.com/events/valentines-date-night/
More Ways to Celebrate
Dinner Dates – Downtown spots like Acre, The Hound, and Hamilton’s are classic picks for Valentine’s meals with your person or pals. Cozy Movie Night – Head to the AMC Classic Tiger 13 in Opelika or plan an at-home movie night with snacks and rom-coms. Picnic or Walk at Town Creek Park – If the weather’s nice, grab some snacks and enjoy a relaxed afternoon outdoors. Galentine’s Fun – Grab your besties for dessert at Beignets & Brew, a coffee at The Fox , or a themed night in.
No matter how you celebrate, Auburn offers plenty of ways for students to make Valentine’s week memorable—whether it’s with flowers, art, friends, food, or simply treating yourself.
Here at Auburn University, we have many different on-campus residence halls. However, there are countless off campus living options too. When making your decision, it’s important to keep in mind what you want from your first-year experience. While you may think that living on-campus in a suite style residence hall is the only way to get plugged into the Auburn family, there are still ample opportunities for community-building no matter what type of living style you choose. We hope that you’ll take the time to explore all your options.
Upper Quad
On-Campus Housing: Suite Style
When picturing college on-campus living, a suite style residence hall is probably the first thing that comes to mind. In a suite style residence hall, you will share a room with another person, and the two of you will then share a connected bathroom with two other students. At Auburn, The Hill and The Quad communities are configured this way. When you decide to live in one of these communities, you will have the opportunity to build strong bonds with your roommates, suitemates, and other members of the hall. There are study and common areas that students congregate in frequently, and Resident Assistants are active parts of the community, planning programs for students to make connections and engage with one another. You will also make full use of your meal plan, as these residence halls don’t have kitchens in individual rooms.
While community is at the center of suite-style living, it can also provide some opportunities for growth if you’re not used to living with others. Communication is key in a suite-style residence hall so that you avoid disagreements over subjects like cleanliness levels and who’s turning out the lights every night. While it can take some time to adjust to sharing a space with someone, it’s a great way to grow as a communicator and build tight-knit bonds throughout your first year on campus.
The Village
On-Campus Housing: Apartment Style
The next option to evaluate when looking at on-campus living is apartment style residence halls. At Auburn, South Donahue and The Village are our apartment style communities. With these residence halls you will be in an apartment with either one or three other people. Every student has their own room, but they share a bathroom with one other individual. These spaces also feature a common living area with a sofa and an armchair, and a small kitchenette that includes a microwave, refrigerator, sink, and counter and cabinet space.
Key benefits of living in The Village or South Donahue include having a larger space to host group hangouts, more storage areas, and the opportunity to have a little more control over your diet. While there isn’t a full kitchen within the on-campus apartment style residence halls, you are allowed to have small appliances like air fryers, toaster ovens, crock pots, and more. The full list of approved appliances can be found on the Housing website.
With a different style of living comes a different set of challenges. While you get your own room in these residential communities, there are still conflicts that can arise when it comes to allowing visitors and keeping the common areas clean. You may also have less connection with others outside of your apartment. However, you can still form close relationships with your roommates without the potential added stress of sharing a bedroom with them. Apartment style residence halls are also staffed by Resident Assistants who assist with community-building activities and upholding university policy.
160 Ross191 College
Somewhere in the Middle: Auburn University Affiliate Housing
Since Auburn, Alabama, is a college town, we have the unique opportunity of partnering with local apartment complexes to house students who want the off-campus living experience but the on-campus living resources. These affiliate housing complexes are off campus by their location, but they are still managed by Auburn University housing staff. These communities also have Resident Assistants to help students build community and engage with one another.
Auburn currently has three university-affiliated housing complexes: 160 Ross, The Union, and 191 College. All these apartment complexes are like our on-campus apartment style housing, with the apartments being furnished and students having their own bedrooms and a shared kitchen and living area. The main difference between on-campus apartment style residence halls and affiliate housing complexes is the kitchen. You’ll find a stove and an oven in these apartments, which gives you the freedom to fully cook for yourself and your roommates.
Aside from having a full kitchen, the other benefits of living in an affiliate housing complex includes extra amenities like pools, fitness centers, and an in-unit washer and dryer. However, with extra amenities comes extra costs. They are also a bit further away from campus compared to on-campus housing options, so be ready to walk or use Tiger Transit more often than you would if you lived in an on-campus residence hall.
Off-Campus Housing: Options Abound
Even if you decide to pursue off-campus housing, there are plenty of options in the Auburn and Opelika areas. Many students choose to live in an apartment complex, but there are also other options like house rentals, townhomes, and mobile home parks. There is a website to find rentals available specifically for Auburn students – you can find that at offcampushousing.auburn.edu/housing. With the sheer number of properties in Auburn, you may find that your off-campus housing option is closer to some of your classes than your on-campus housing assignment!
Remember, choosing to live on or off campus for your first year of college is all about evaluating what you want out of your first-year experience. Regardless of where you live during your first year, you can still join campus organizations, attend events, get to know your classmates and professors, and do so much more to find your family within the Auburn family.
Auburn takes on a different personality during the holidays. Wreaths adorn the downtown shop doors and lampposts, and lights are hung everywhere. You can’t go too far without hearing Christmas music, and the holiday coffee drinks are on point.
Throughout November and December, there are various holiday events in the Auburn/Opelika area, including the Downtown Auburn Christmas Parade, Santa on the Corner, and Christmas movie nights at Hey Day. The Hey Day Market hosts Hey Day Holiday, a festive winter wonderland for all ages complete with an ice skating rink and daily snowfall! A full list of holiday events can be found on the Auburn Opelika Tourism website here.
On Sunday, November 30th, locals and students filled Samford Lawn for the Holiday Lighting Ceremony. As the sun sets, the lawn comes alive each night with twinkling lights, inviting visitors to pause, celebrate, and soak in the joyful holiday glow surrounding Samford Hall.
If you find yourself in Auburn during the holidays, don’t be in a hurry. Let the lights sparkle, the streets glow, and the season wrap you in warmth and wonder. Auburn has a way of making even the simplest holiday moments feel special.
Auburn Oil is the place to go for delicious coffee with a side of books in Auburn. This downtown bookstore is arguably the best in town, and at the back of the store you will find a barista serving up a varied menu of coffee, tea, cider, and hot chocolate. One of their most popular drinks is “Looking for Alaska”, a latte with the perfect blend of white mocha and peppermint.
Each month they feature a specialty drink that is creatively written on their chalkboard. If you are looking for your next read and one of the best lattes in town, step in to this cozy bookstore on Magnolia!
Side Track Coffee
Across the Auburn-Opelika Coffee Shop Trail, no spot is quite like downtown Opelika’s Side Track. Where other coffee shops invite you in with plush sofas and colorful interiors, Side Track offers you a wooden stool inside a white room. And yet, the place oozes charm. First-time customers will realize this is not your standard coffee shop when, after ordering, the register’s screen requests them to input not a tip, but a price. Pay-what-you-want pricing makes Side Track a proper sanctuary for anyone seeking community, regardless of circumstance.
This commitment to community is evident not just in the pricing scheme, but in the friendly service as well. Sitting at the bar, even without ordering anything, it is only a matter of time until a glass of water is set in front of you by one of the friendly baristas. Side Track’s furniture situation also contributes to the open, welcoming atmosphere. Almost nothing is fixed in place, and stools can always be dragged up to seemingly full tables to make sure your party can sit together, and then some. It almost feels tasteless to bring up the quality of the coffee, because what Side Track offers is so much more than caffeinated beverages. This is a proper gem of the Auburn-Opelika area, and a must-stop on the Coffee Shop Trail.
Thrive Here @Auburn
Located inside Auburn University’s Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, Thrive Coffee blends great coffee with hands-on learning. Operated in partnership with the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management, the café doubles as a teaching lab where students roast beans, craft syrups, prepare espresso drinks, and gain real experience running a specialty coffee shop.
The space is bright, modern, and relaxed – complete with a record player and plenty of room to study – making it a favorite spot for students.
Signature drinks like seasonal lattes, along with house-made ingredients from the center’s pastry kitchen, give the menu a creative touch. I tried the Candy Cane Captain, an iced latte with candy cane flavored oat milk. It was a perfect sweet drink, just in time for the holidays! Thrive accepts Tiger Card dining dollars and offers a loyalty program, adding to its campus appeal.
More than just a coffee spot, Thrive embodies the Rane Center’s mission: blending education and industry in a real-world setting where students learn, serve, and create exceptional coffee every day.
There is something undeniably special about Auburn in the fall. All across campus, the trees have turned the color of orange, deep and glowing, as if the University itself has dressed up in school spirit. The air carries a soft crispness that feels like a promise – of new beginnings and treasured memories waiting to be made.
Walking to class feels different in this season. Leaves crunch underfoot, and the same paths you have walked all semester now seem brand new. The sunlight lingers a little longer on the red brick concourses and catches in the golden leaves drifting down from the oaks near Samford Hall. You pause to watch, and time slows for just a moment.
Fall has a way of making the familiar seem more special. The paths, the buildings, the small routines – all seem to come alive in color and light. As the wind carries another swirl of orange across your path, you realize it is more than just a beautiful time of year. It is the season of sweaters and spirit, and of warmth and belonging. Fall in Auburn feels like stepping into a story – one painted in orange, filled with laughter, tradition, and the quiet magic of home.
Incoming freshmen take part in Camp War Eagle activities on June 5, 2025, as part of Auburn University’s orientation for new students.
Camp War Eagle (CWE) is Auburn’s two-day summer orientation program for new freshmen! At CWE, incoming freshmen meet their CWE Orientation Counselor and other incoming freshman students, learn more about campus resources to help them be successful at Auburn, and register for fall classes with their academic advisor. This past summer, over 6,000 incoming freshmen attended CWE.
Our current students also have the opportunity to be a Camp War Eagle counselor for the summer! One of our CWE counselors, Lydia East, said this about her experience:
“Being a part of this team and having an impact on thousands of incoming students was truly the greatest experience. Watching these students embrace Auburn as their new home was incredibly rewarding and brought so much joy to each day! I am so thankful to have been a small part of their Auburn journey. War Eagle”
Lydia East, sophomore, Agriculture Communications
Admitted students can begin to register for their CWE session in March. There is not an advantage to attending an earlier session, and each session holds a certain number of spots in core classes for registration.
Camp War Eagle, CWE
Learn more about CWE here on our First Year Experience website!
Spring in Auburn means it’s time for my favorite season of the year: baseball season! My favorite pastime is watching baseball, whether it be a night game in the middle of the week or a beautiful Sunday afternoon. If Plainsman Park is open, more than likely, you will be able to find me there.
My love of baseball comes from the days when my parents took me to Mobile Bay Bears games to help me learn more about being a catcher since I played softball. Those days in Hank Aaron Stadium always brought so much joy and peace to me, and they are some of my fondest memories. Baseball was also my first official sport I attended at Auburn as a kid. Although Plainsman Park has gotten some updates since my first visit, it is still just as special to me as it was on that first visit.
Plainsman Park
So, when I grew up with easy access to continue going to baseball games, I was all in. I find myself counting down to opening day each year. In my eyes, Auburn baseball is the perfect example of if you love Auburn, it will love you right back. For me, baseball is my refuge, no matter what is going on in my life: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I know when I walk into Plainsman Park for a brief time, it all melts away. Whether I am taking in a baseball game with a group of friends or making a solo trip to Plainsman Park, I know I am with family. One of the special aspects about baseball is that it is a very social game. I have gotten to sit with Auburn alumni who, after the last three years, I have made connections and community with. Plainsman park, whether you are sitting in the outfield or directly behind home plate, is such a magical place to be. Plainsman Park is even electric when 1st pitch has to be delayed until 9:15 pm due to weather. Take it from a girl who loves baseball, but who loves Auburn baseball the most.
If you cannot find me during baseball season, chances are high that I am hiding away in Plainsman Park cheering on the Tigers! Check out this year’s schedule here, and make it to a game if you can. I hope it’s as wonderful an experience for you as it is for me!
Dana with Auburn baseball legend Frank ThomasDana with Auburn’s head baseball coach Butch Thompson
On Tuesday, January 21, 2025 it snowed in Auburn, and the dreamy winter wonderland was enjoyed by students, employees, and residents all over town.
It does not snow often in Auburn, Alabama, but every few years a wintry mix appears in the Loveliest Village on the Plains. Students and residents gathered their coats, hats, and gloves and ventured out into the cold for some fun.
Samford Lawn was full of students taking pictures and enjoying the snow! Some students went sledding at the Red Barn and built snowmen.
Time stands a little more still on snow days. It is a chance to pause from the regular schedule and break the routine. Our students took full advantage of this, embracing the day with fellowship and laughter.
Summer is here and so are some of our students! While campus is definitely less busy during the summer, many students stay for the summer semester and there are still a ton of fun things to do!
Grab an Instagram-worthy milkshake at The Yard Milkshake Bar, beat the heat with a Tiger’s Blood from one of the many snowcone spots, or stick to the tried and true and enjoy a flavored lemonade from Toomer’s Drugs.
The Standard Deluxe, a music venue about 15 minutes down the road in Waverly, has live music regularly. You can see their schedule of upcoming events here.
Free to the public, the Summer Swing Concert Series is held every Tuesday night in the summer through July 30th at Monkey Park in Opelika.
One of the best things about Auburn is how close you are to some really cool places. Head up 85 to Atlanta for a Braves game or concert, or drive a quick 4 hours south to the beach or north to the mountains!
Are you familiar with Auburn University’s central purpose? If not, check out our mission statement describing that purpose below!
“As a land-grant institution, Auburn University is dedicated to improving the lives of the people of Alabama, the nation, and the world through forward-thinking education, life-enhancing research and scholarship, and selfless service.”1
The very first clause of that mission statement sets the tone for who we are as an institution and, conveniently, the rest of this blog post – it’s a land-grant thing.
If you’re anything like me, I wasn’t actually familiar with the term “land-grant” before enrolling at Auburn. And yet, I was unknowingly already familiar with several land-grant institutions. Each state has at least one, many have multiple. Did you know that many of Auburn’s most beloved rivalries in the SEC are also land-grant institutions? The University of Georgia, Mississippi State University, and LSU just to name a few. While each of these universities have their own unique culture and charm, they have some noteworthy similarities because of their land-grant designation.
Land-Grant Institutions: A Mini-History Lesson
The higher education system in this country dates back to the founding of Harvard College in 1636. The first college in what is now the United States was founded in 1636. For roughly 200 years, most colleges in this country were private liberal arts institutions that were primarily geared towards educating young, wealthy, white men interested in pursuing careers as civic or religious leaders. Beginning in the mid-1800s, leaders in the federal government began discussions of supporting a higher education system that was geared towards preparing more people for a variety of careers – agriculture and engineering, in particular.2
Those discussions resulted in the passage of the Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862, which established land-grant institutions across the country. Auburn (then called the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama) received its land-grant status in 1872. Since then, we have been keenly aware of the responsibilities we have to help “provide practical solutions to pressing societal problems.” More specifically, we have a responsibility to: 1) educate our students, providing them with practical and technical skills to prepare them for life; 2) drive forward-thinking research that advances knowledge; and 3) transform these on-campus successes into improving our local communities through outreach and service.3
Should you choose to attend Auburn, know that you will benefit from this land-grant lineage. You’ll be equipped with practical, hands-on opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom that will prepare you for a lifetime of continuous improvement and service to others. Our hope is that your life will be improved from your time at Auburn and that you will pay that forward by helping to improve the lives of everyone you interact with moving forward.
From Humble Beginnings to Modern-Day Advancements
As the old adage goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” So what better way to wrap up this post about Auburn’s land-grant lineage than with several pictures? Enjoy!
Then and Now: Engineering
This picture was taken in the early 1890’s and shows students using lathes and other equipment in the Machine Room of the Mechanical Arts Laboratory.4
The Theme Park Engineering and Design student organization is housed within the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. Pictured here: Two students (and hopeful future theme park developers) enjoying their research on Disney’s TRON Lightcycle Run. Learn more about TPED here.
Then and Now: Agriculture
It may be a bit blurry, but this picture shows several women who were students at Auburn in the early 1900’s. They were enrolled in a horticulture class and are shown here tending to on-campus gardens as part of the course.
Look at this technological advancement! The College of Agriculture has created the Transformation Garden. Pictured here: A student working inside a high-tech vertical farm shipping container that has been outfitted with LED lights that help with photosynthesis. Learn more about the Transformation Garden here.
Then and Now: Architecture
This unidentified student is shown here in an architecture lab circa 1937.
The College of Architecture, Design and Construction celebrated the 30th anniversary of Rural Studio this year. Pictured here are faculty and students on-site at a current project. Learn more about Rural Studio here.
Then and Now: Human Sciences
Order up! Several home economics students were completing a cooking class assignment in the kitchen lab in 1930.
Pictured here: A current Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management student staying cool under pressure preparing food for a 200-person event in the world-renowned Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center. Learn more about the Rane Center here.
