Student’s guide to the Glebe

by Kelly Millar

Moving away from home, being on your own and fending for yourself is hard enough, but doing all that in the country’s capital can be a tad overwhelming. We got a fourth-year Carleton student to compile a guide to your next-door neighbourhood: the Glebe. We know it’s hard being a student, so let us make it easy for you.

The Glebe is a neighbourhood bursting with unique ma-and-pa shops, a suite of delicious restaurants, quiet cafés for studying, and enough bars for you to hop to and from. Here are eight ways to get the most out of the Glebe during your gruelling school year.

Dine strategically

One thing I learned in my first year at Carleton: The Caf gets old real quick. And there’s only so much room in a mini-fridge. We students think we can live off coffee and ramen, but let me tell you, we should not. The Glebe has got your coffee and ramen supply covered, but it also has over 60 different eateries and restaurants that don’t break the bank. Here are just a few classic weekly specials in the Glebe that you can take advantage of:

• Boston Pizza The Glebe: fishbowl Fridays, triples in a fishbowl starting at $10.24; different deals every day
• The Arrow and the Loon: half-off menu; 50 percent off the entire menu every Wednesday after 5 p.m.; different deals every day
• Joey: Wine Wednesdays; 50 per cent off bottles of wine
• Local: Happy Hour: special snack and drink menu 3–6 p.m. and after 9 p.m. every day.
• Find more deals like these on the Glebe’s promo page at www.intheglebe.ca. You can finally put that random dorm room white board to use and build yourself a weekly specials calendar.

Take advantage of your student status

Congratulations: you’re a post-secondary student. You’re now at the point in your life where people just automatically feel bad for you. I suggest you soak it up before it’s over.

Your student card is your ticket to all the student-exclusive pity deals, so keep it handy. Merchants in the Glebe know your struggle and want to help – no begging necessary. Here are a few student deals in the Glebe:

• Metro: 10 per cent off every day
• The Dailey Method: discount on regular-priced package and memberships
• Pure Gelato: BOGO coffee Mondays
• Boston Pizza The Glebe: Student Night Thursdays: 10 per cent off food and $25 Team Pitchers
• Melli Cosmetics: Watch their merchant page and in-store for deals catered to students.

Supplies

While you’re in the Glebe scooping up deals, you can check off all of your errands in one go. The Glebe has every necessity a university student could need. There are three grocery stores, five banks, three drug stores, two LCBOs, a Beer Store and a Wine Rack.

For stationery, notebooks, pens, agendas, etc. check out The Papery. You can feel organized and fancy with their adorable school supplies. For school gear, head over to Readi Set Go – you’ll be in back-to-school heaven. They have high-quality backpacks, lunch storage, caddies, water bottles, etc. Every single item in this store is useful, no exaggeration. At Winners, you’ll find a brand-new wardrobe and decorations for your dorm. Their home decor section can even make Glengarry feel warm and cozy. The Glebe has a suite of other clothing shops for you to get new threads, including Stomping Ground, Delilah and BGGO. There’s no better place than Bloomfields to find adorable succulents and floral arrangements for your empty windowsill. The knowledgeable staff can help you pick out a plant that is low maintenance.

 A laptop for “studying.” A phone for socializing. A speaker for partying. The Source has any electronic you need to get you through the school year. Go online for their weekly flyer. For all your literature needs, see Octopus Books where some of your profs may actually send you to pick up required course texts. Whether it’s for learning or pleasure, reading is good for the soul.

Find your study spot

As majestic as the MacOdrum library may seem, you will go a bit crazy if you spend too much time in there. A change of scenery keeps your mind fresh. The Glebe has no shortage of study nooks for you to get in the zone. Head to one of these caffeinated study spots to get your learning on: Starbucks, Bridgehead, Little Victories, Wild Oat, Café Morala, Ichiban Bakery. Or try setting up shop at one of our outdoor parks, parkettes and parklets. These little pop-up al fresco study nooks will increase your productivity by 110 per cent (I checked). I guess fresh air is almost as good as caffeine.

Panda!

If you haven’t yet stepped off campus to explore your next-door neighbourhood, I promise you’ll want to make your way there for September 29 when the entire area goes manic when the Ravens and Gee-Gees football teams battle it out at TD Place in the biggest sporting event of the school year. For a university student in Ottawa, the Panda Game is your new Christmas. It’s a guaranteed good time whether you’re a football fan or not. Glebe bars and restaurants are awaiting your arrival and are fully stocked for your pregame/postgame needs. Come watch Carleton play to protect Pedro for a fifth year in a row. But get your tickets soon because the game is known to sell out

More Events

Free music? Yes please! You have arrived just in time for Marvest, a two-day festival featuring more than 60 artists and bands playing in shops and restaurants throughout the Glebe. Marvest runs September 14-15 with shows throughout the day and evening. Come enjoy local musicians as they fill the neighbourhood. All you have to do is show up! Stay tuned for lineup details.

Marvest is an offshoot of the larger CityFolk festival. This music-filled week is hosted at Lansdowne September 12-16 and this year’s lineup features artists like Hozier, David Byrne and Steve Earle. Buy your tickets at Compact Music in the Glebe.

As to professional sport teams, the Ottawa Redblacks, Ottawa 67s junior hockey team and Fury FC all call TD Place home, which means you have easy access to all their home games. The Redblacks will be battling it out until November 2 before playoffs begin. Keep up-to-date with all your favourite teams at www.lansdownelive.ca

The Glebe has made it easy for you. Head to the Glebe BIA events page at www.intheglebe.ca/events to see everything that’s going on in the area. And check out the local community newspaper, the Glebe Report, in coffee shops or at glebereport.ca.

Places to start

Kettleman’s Bagel Co: Made fresh all day every day, these bagels are a whole different breed of carbs. Words can’t fully describe the experience, so I suggest you make your way as soon as possible. (They’re open 24/7/365.)

Playa del Popsical: Check out this hidden gem tucked away behind Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s. Playa del Popsical is the cutest little popsicle truck you’ll find with its makeshift mini beach, lounge chairs, sand and all.

Yummy Pies: Perfect for students on a budget. Enjoy one of their authentic middle-eastern meat pies within the $4 range. They have plenty of different pies made fresh in minutes and finished off with your choice of toppings and sauce. Warning: you might become obsessed.

Ottawa Farmers’ Market is in the Glebe every Sunday. Snatch up fresh healthy brain food while supporting your new local food scene.

613 Flea makes thrift-shopping easy because they’ve already picked out the best of the best. You can also find handcrafted art, jewellery, food, gifts and other treasures at this monthly pop-up flea market. Check the dates at intheglebe.ca.

Glebe Murals: Spruce up your Insta-game and show off your new hood by getting some shots with the beautiful murals scattered throughout the Glebe. Make it a challenge to track down all the walls decked out in the area.

Getting Around

The number 7 OC Transpo bus comes straight from the Carleton campus through the length of the Glebe, and both the 7 and the 6 run on Bank Street every few minutes.

The stroll from campus takes 20 minutes via Sunnyside or you can take the route that Carleton students all know well: the Rideau Canal. You can run or cycle along the canal path and arrive in less than 10 minutes. Or, in winter you can take the most Canadian transport possible and skate there in a jiffy.

Hopefully, this student guide will make your first year of university as painless as possible. And remember, school always comes first…then the Panda Game.

Kelly Millar is a fourth-year Carleton student who enjoys her time in the Glebe.