Welcome to on-campus living, everyone! Before we jump into anything, let me start off with a question that our moms used to ask when we were small primary school kids – “So, how was first week of school?” Ah, the nostalgia. Cheers to surviving Week 1 and Week 2!
While many of you may have figured out the basics of living on campus already, there are quite a few stores and eateries nearby on-school residences that you may be unaware about. This post will be introducing the main shops and food courts near the residences and UTown and what you can buy from them, so do bookmark this post and pull up the page anytime you feel confused, or just need a tip or two!
- Where to Get Your Essentials
On campus, there are several shops from which you can get your essentials. Drop by at FairPrice Xpress on Level 1, Stephen Riady Centre at UTown to get your everyday items and basic groceries. If you are craving for some fresh fruits, they are also available in single packs so that you don’t need to buy a whole bag of fruits. Open till 9pm.
NTUC FairPrice can also be found on Level 2, NUH Medical Center. It is bigger than any supermarkets on campus and is at a convenient location if you are near the Science, Medicine, or Dentistry buildings. Open till 10pm.
If you are at the other end of the campus, drop by Nanyang Mart inside Prince George’s Park Residences to grab whatever you need. It is slightly bigger than FairPrice Xpress, and fresh groceries are also available. They have everything you need – they even sell books and simple electronic devices! Open till 9.30pm.
Think that supermarkets are too much of a hassle to navigate? Don’t worry, because the convenience stores at NUS also offer products at affordable prices. Visit 7-Eleven beside Subway on Level 1, Yusof Ishak House for quick bites and essentials. You can also top-up your prepaid sim cards at these outlets. Also, if you are in UTown, Cheers on Level 1, Town Plaza is another option. Open 24/7.
Feel like you could perk up your beauty regime (in addition to your beauty sleep, of course)? ? Head over to Guardian on Level 1, Stephen Riady Centre at UTown for over-the-counter medicines plus a huge variety of beauty and health items ranging from eye drops, shampoos, cosmetics, muscle patches, and so on. Open till 6pm.
- Food Courts – NUS and UTown’s own Michelin Stars
It is common for university students to complain about canteen food – but when you are at NUS, you don’t need to worry at all about getting both your stomach and palate satisfied. While there are several food courts that are shared by one or two faculties, they might be a bit far away for you to travel from your residences.
For hungry residents who just want a convenient bite , FoodClique (Flavours @ UTown) at Level 2, Stephen Riady Centre, UTown is what you’re looking for. The food court provides a variety of affordable food choices ranging from local delights (Ban Mian, Fishball Soup, Mixed rice stall), global cuisine (Indonesian, Indian, Japanese, and Sichuan) in case you need a different taste, or you simply miss home. There’s also Astons as a stall if you need to recharge your protein level at a reasonable price (Astons off-campus are usually restaurants!). Open till 10pm.
Similarly, Koufu at Town Plaza, UTown is another food court that you can visit, with many stalls providing a huge variety of food items. The variety is slightly larger than that of FoodClique. Try the ice milk tea (teh peng) at the beverages stall; when you get tired of coffee to keep you caffeinated, there’s nothing better than a sweet yet refreshing ice milk tea. Open till 10pm.
If you are living at PGP, or at any halls near the area, visit the PGP Canteen for affordable and satisfying dishes. You can find claypot dishes, noodles, Japanese cuisine, or the all-time favourite Ban Mian at this canteen. Open till 8.30pm. (Saturdays and PH till 8pm)
But UTown and PGP are very far away for some students, especially those living on the center of campus – for example, RVRC or Raffles Hall. Don’t feel left out, because you can always visit the Food Junction on Level 2, YIH for some of the best-known dishes on campus. They have a reasonable variety of offerings (even a Korean stall!), as well as fresh fruits, yogurt, and oh, don’t forget to grab adrink from Gong Cha on the way out – it’s the only outlet on campus!Open till 8pm. (Saturdays till 3pm)
Other than these food courts, there are also individual stalls and eateries that provide the best dishes on campus. Look out for our weekly posts on Facebook and get reviews on some of the best food items that you can try!
So there you have it! Get all your essentials ready in your room and your stomach, filled, with all the various choices around school. Feeling ready to live on campus yet? On the following post, we will be back with more inside tips and life hacks that will make your life on campus a more fulfilling and memorable time.
Once again, welcome to the residential community at NUS! 🙂
