Last semester, Mercyhurst University introduced The Roost to the campus.

At the time, The Roost was a deeply controversial decision that ignited a great amount of debate around campus.

Now that it has been around for some time, I think it is time to ask what students think of it now.

For my money, I am a big fan of The Roost.

The Roost has bolstered not only my own lifestyle on the campus, but also positively contributed to the student and faculty community here on campus.

The benefits of this new establishment range from brand new meal options to campus safety.

Recent years had students needing to leave campus in order to attend a restaurant or bar that served alcoholic beverages, due to both other dining halls on campus not offering those.

Incidents such as students getting roofied by off campus strangers have occurred in the past.

The reason why they’ve happened is due to the lack of staff supervision that comes with leaving the institution.

With the presence of The Roost, students can attend an establishment that serves alcoholic beverages while under the watch of personnel.

With this small change, students are now being protected from off campus violence.

Even people from off campus can visit The Roost, so it boosts the popularity of the University to those not attending.

The food choices at The Roost are also consistent and unique to the bar.

I always arrive there to eat wings and fries.

Wings and fries are always on the menu every time that I attend.

How often do you go to Egan, only to find that they don’t have what you want in stock on that day?

If the students have a specific preference for what they’d like to eat on certain afternoons, then The Roost will always have what they want.

It is much better than the daily shifting menu at the other food courts.

Students also aren’t required to spend physical money on the meal, besides on the alcoholic beverages, in order to eat.

They can just use cash on their meal plan.

However, the Roost isn’t just good for students, it’s good for professors as well.

I’ve also seen professors getting together not just to eat, but to mingle and talk amongst themselves.

I believe that the restaurant’s physical structure is to be praised too.

Having an actual bar, country room and lounge room provides both the faculty and students with a comfortable and warm atmosphere to get together and mingle.

A sense of community is strengthened just by having a place for the students to wind down, drink cider or beer and talk about whatever is currently on their minds.

I firmly believe that The Roost is an amazing addition to the campus.

Not just because the stress of schoolwork and club activity gives everyone the need for some down time, but because the Roost provides that down Time while also not having you holed up in your room.

I myself don’t usually socialize during meals.

However, time to time I’ve sat next to my peers at The Roost, even those that I absolutely didn’t know.

During one visit to The Roost, I met an elderly lady who was just visiting the campus due to a local church event.

She was quite the friendly person, discussing things such as religion and my ambitions on the campus.

It was a wholesome, informing conversation that has stuck with me.

Obviously, I would have never had an encounter like this had I just eaten my supper at Egan that day.

At Egan, people either sit alone or with friends, but they never socialize with strangers like they do at The Roost.

This interaction would not have happened in Egan.

Overall, I would say that The Roost has been a wonderful contribution to my life here at Mercyhurst University.

It provides a place to both unwind and socialize.

I imagine that both faculty and my fellow Mercyhurst students feel the same.

I look forward too many more visits to that place until my graduation.

And, perhaps, I’ll come back to eat there every now and then afterwards.