7 popular hangouts of UPES students

Students taking a break from studies at the MiG Zone at UPES

It is not all studies or lab work at UPES. Below we look at the seven most frequented student hangouts in and around the UPES Bidholi campus

If you have already enrolled for a course at UPES or have been planning to and are wondering about what the place has to offer apart from academics, then look no further, for we have zeroed in on the 7 most popular hangouts in and around the UPES Bidholi campus.

But first, a bit about Bidholi.

Bidholi is situated in the Vikasnagar tehsil of Dehradun.

Surrounded by the mountains of the Mussoorie range, Bidholi offers a quiet escape into the verdant hills, away from the rush and noise of the neighbouring cities of Mussoorie and Dehradun.

In fact, the small hill town is lovingly referred to as ‘Planet Bidholi’ by UPES students, named after a restaurant near the campus, for Bidholi often seems to envelop itself in its own cozy cocoon of clouds, appearing to be in a time zone of its own. Here, life seems to stroll by at its own leisurely pace.

But it is not all crickets here.

There are a few hangouts in and around the campus that are usually abuzz with life and student chatter.

Some of the most popular ones include:
 

Café Tif

At Café Tif, you can either dine-in or order a takeaway. You can choose from your favourite pizzas or sandwiches, have a pop of fizz or a cup of hot tea, depending on the weather and your mood.

Maggi Point

Apart from dishing out soul-comforting bowls of ramen, Maggi Point also offers a stunning view of the surrounding hills. The place is perfect for a quiet time away from the stress of studies. Arpit Jain, a first-year student of MCA (Master of Computer Applications) loves to come here. “Maggi point is really beautiful,” he says. “It has an amazing weather, the place becomes even more beautiful after 6-7 pm,” he adds. Aryan Saxena, a second-year student of CS Graphics and Gaming recommends Maggi Point for its “quick service”. “It is a good place to quench your thirst and quell your hunger pangs between classes,” he says. Aryan Deopa, pursuing B. Tech. in Graphics and Gaming, rates it “4 on a scale of 5” for “the open air, the nature, trees and no restrictions”.

Café Frisco

One of the best things about Café Frisco is the spacious seating arrangements, apart from the variety of snacks on offer. Deesha Patel, pursuing M. Tech. in Health, Safety and Environment with specialization in Disaster Management, often likes to dig into their desserts. “As I have a sweet tooth, I love to visit this place,” she says. “It is cost-effective and the taste is good,” she adds. She finds the quality of food, hygiene, the service and the prices quite satisfactory.

Tulips

Tulips is a firm favourite with students who love their cold coffee or sandwiches. Also on offer at this eatery are baked goodies like muffins and cakes.

MiG Zone

UPES has an old MiG plane on its campus, which has slowly become one of the favourite zones for the students to sit and relax. Bahnijit Barman, a second-year student of Graphics and Gaming, finds the installation inspirational. “It is great to have something like a MiG. It is really motivational to hang around a relic of our past,” he says.

UPES Sports Ground

Students get plenty of opportunity to unwind at the campus’ spacious sports ground which has facilities for football, cricket, volleyball and basketball. The university regularly organizes competitions and tournaments at university, district, state as well as national level. Some of its major competitions include the Volleyball Tournament, the Athletics Meet, the Basketball Tournament and the Handball Championship. Students are encouraged to participate in sports and extra-curricular activities to promote all-round development.

UPES Walkway

If none of the above enthrall you, then head out for a walk along the long-winding tree-lined road that leads out of the UPES campus, popularly called the UPES Walkway. Students have variously described the walkway as “adventurous”, “enjoyable and relaxing”, “good for trekking” and some much needed “me time”.