After being at WashU for more than a minute, you will definitely hear someone talking about the ever-present St. Louis summer. This summer, aptly named the STL summer, is divisive amongst WashU students. People love it, people hate it, but, as people who spent a summer in St. Louis, we will die on the hill that the St. Louis summer is not as bad as some make it out to be.

WashU’s location — nestled between Forest Park, Clayton, University City, and St. Louis — offers a wide variety of running spots for newcomers and experienced runners. Many WashU students talk about wanting to get out of the “WashU bubble,” and running (or walking) is a great way to do so and explore the world surrounding WashU. Here are some of the best running routes for the WashU community.

Oh, the hot dog. An American staple that conjures up images of backyard barbecues on the Fourth of July, watching your favorite baseball team from the stands, and maybe even a trip to Coney Island.

After four years in St. Louis, I have maintained my coffee addiction by exploring a variety of cafes. There are the classics: all of the Kaldi’s Coffee locations, Meshuggah Cafe on the Delmar Loop, and even our very own campus spots like Cafe Bergson and Whispers Cafe and Collins Farms at Law Cafe.

It’s a tale as old as time: You pack your bag with all your required readings and head to a nearby coffee shop with good reviews online, only to find that the layout of the cafe makes it absolutely impossible to get any work done. You order an expensive latte anyway — you’re already here, might as well — but you end up chatting with a friend or getting distracted by your phone instead of having the productive day you had planned.

I’m no history expert, but I think it’s safe to say that for as long as people have been having sex, they were also making jokes about it. I mean, it’s… sex. Everyone has a funny tale to tell, something they make you promise you won’t tell anyone else but is maybe so funny that the laughs just keep coming (pun intended). 

Here’s how to use a variety of condoms (as demonstrated on fruit).

Certified sex therapist Casey Tanner, who specializes in sexuality among Gen Z and millennials, met with Student Life editors Zach Trabitz and Aliza Lubitz to discuss sex and relationships during the college years. 

Whether or not you have a significant other in your life, Valentine’s Day calls for special treats. This year, instead of my usual heart-shaped, pink-frosted shortbread cookies, I decided to put my cooking skills to use to develop some new, romantic recipes for a fancy dinner with my boyfriend.

“My whole friend group thinks me and my best friend are in love. I may have feelings for him, but I am worried it could ruin the friendship and the group dynamic. Should I make a move? Stay in the friend zone? What if he doesn’t like me back? How do I handle this?”