One of the most commonly asked questions at Central is “So where do you want to go?”. Whether you need a place to kill time before a sports practice, meet up before school on the delayed Wednesdays, or just want a good place to hang out with your friends, the plethora of options open to students exceeds expectations, but are often unknown to many. Because Central Catholic is located at the center of a cultural hub, and thriving communities, our students have access to places like Craig Street, Pitt’s campus, Walnut Street, and more.

After asking multiple students, some of the most common responses were within a short walking distance from school, on Craig Street. Starbucks, a staple meeting destination for students before the day begins on the delayed start Wednesday’s, provides a well known place to get a caffeine kick start in a warm, convenient cafe setting. Another popular spot on Craig Street is Razzy Fresh. This affordable and flavorful frozen yogurt restaurant offers a casual and colorful location to congregate with friends both from Central Catholic, as well as girls from Oakland Catholic. With equal walking distance from both schools, this is an obvious “hot spot” in Oakland.

Also at the students’ disposal are locations within Pitt’s campus, one of the most popular being The Original Hot Dog Shop. A classic site for a casual meal, many students walk here after school when they have a lot of time, such as on a Friday after school. Also achieved through a lengthy walk is to meet up in the yard of the Cathedral of Learning. This destination surprised me while interviewing students. They claimed it was popular to go there and join in with college activities and the college students playing frisbee, football, other various sports, or just relaxing in the grass.

Other assorted settings to relax near Central were suggested. The Carnegie Library is one of the most common solutions to the question of where to go after school because it’s a quiet spot to do homework or study before a practice, or while waiting for a ride to go home. Walnut Street is chalk full of shops, restaurants, cafes, and stands, and though it is not technically a part of Oakland, it’s a close neighbor. More than a walk, a short car ride to Walnut Street is most likely for a planned afternoon or evening of walking through the various stores. Besides Starbucks, Pamela’s and the Bagel Factory are the most famous for early morning breakfast runs before school on Wednesday mornings. The Bagel Factory supplies quick, good-tasting food, perfect for those running a little too late for a sit-down meal, but still wanting a relaxing start to the day. Pamela’s, however, has delicious food, and though it has multiple locations throughout the city, the quality of the food tastes as though it’s home made; a “no-brainer” for restaurant hot spots.

Depending on how much time a student has factors in to where they decide to go, but a common theme between all these “hot spots” is their short distance from Central Catholic and Oakland Catholic. With all of these options, you can’t go wrong. The possibilities for “hot spots” in Oakland may seem endless, and they come close to that, but all can agree that the students of Central Catholic, and Oakland Catholic are very fortunate because of this.