Camille Pfister
Editor-in-chief
On January 29, students received a surprise email announcing that the much anticipated Biehl Commons was open! Students flocked to the building and explored the new space, complete with nice couches, beautiful tables, board games, table shuffleboard, foosball, and a pool table. The building also had a cafe that served boba tea and shareable appetizers.
In 2018, it was announced to students that Thompson Union, where the SUT was housed, would be renovated and turned into a new social commons. In 2020, it was announced that the building would be renamed Biehl Commons. It has taken four more years, but Biehl Commons is finally here. The plans for what Biehl Commons will have to offer have spread like wildfire throughout the campus, and students are very excited now that they can see it in action.
Biehl has several aspects students will have an opportunity to explore. The first is the main lobby. When you first walk into the building, you are greeted by beautiful tables, comfortable chairs and a welcoming ambiance. There is a large shelf full of board games and a recommendation sheet will be coming soon, so the staff can provide more games the students want.
Off to the right side, there are a few couches in front of an electric fireplace. This area provides some of that “homey” feeling and can heat up the building when it’s cold. Off to the left side, there is a small wooden stage that will be open to students to reserve, and a large TV screen, which students can request specific channels, and was used to host a SuperBowl watch party.
Past the fireplace is a lovely sunroom, where the sun beams in through the windows, casting a warm glow over the tables. There is a pool table, a foosball table, and a shuffleboard table. Hidden in the back are more tables, a bit quieter and easier to study at. Downstairs there is a ping pong table, a porch, and some TVs, with more outside activities coming soon.
In the center of it all, there is the main attraction: the cafe. Created to provide another food option on central campus, the cafe has boba teas, shareable appetizers, and snacks. The staff plan to continue to increase their hours and menu, hoping to add build your own protein bowls to the menu soon!
The inspirations for the commons came from wanting a classic and modern Sewanee look. Accordingly, windows were included so that nature was incorporated into the space.
The people in charge of the commons wanted the space to be “for the students” and have worked tremendously hard to make sure the space is what the students need and want. Personally, I can’t wait to see what comes next from Biehl!