Originally an outdoor quad between the old Science and Chemistry/Physics buildings, now located on the first floor of the UC, MUNSU’s student bar, ‘The Breezeway,’ has long been a place for MUN students to attend shows and events, play games, find community, and engage in general intoxication-induced debauchery.
Considering the bar’s track record of being well-attended and hosting noteworthy performers like Blue Rodeo, Mother Mother, and Alvvays, since The Breezeway’s grand reopening in 2022 following extensive renovations, some students seem to think the bar ‘fell off.’
This year’s lively Fall welcome suggests that the Breezeway might actually be ‘back,’ hopefully for real this time.
History & Renovations
A few folks aren’t fond of the recent renovations, saying the beloved bar now looks ‘sterile’ – and I do contend that there needs to be better seating options. The primary reason for renovations was to address accessibility concerns and optimize the space for multi–use.
At this time, MUNSU also decided to shift the business model to function as a cafe, recreational, and study space during the day, and a bar in the evenings.
Many domestic students whose parents are MUN alumni may have heard wild tales of the famed campus bar. One look through the Muse archives in the library’s Digital Archive Initiative (DAI) will paint a vivid picture of the types of buzzing events held there practically every night.
Some people’s parents first met at the Breezeway, and many moments in St. John’s music history cite the student watering hole as a significant location, most notably Da Slyme’s first-ever show that practically turned into a riot.
Maybe you’ve even heard the classic MUN folk legend where the student unions of old plummeted into hundreds of thousands in debt after getting Snoop Dogg to perform as a ‘joke’ in 2009.
The campus bar – in all of its forms – has been an important location in Memorial’s history, as well as broader Newfoundland goings-on over time.
MUNSU & Welcome Week
I highly doubt that many folks are having Breezeway meetcutes anymore, but this year’s welcome festivities have brought huge crowds.
Students love to criticize our union and associated organizations, as is well within their rights. Providing constructive feedback is encouraged, of course, but we need to give credit where credit is due. MUNSU has successfully pulled off one of the biggest “Welcome Weeks” in years; it would honestly be more fitting to call it “Welcome Month.”
The kickoff concert featuring student band NFRARED opening for Nick Earle & the Reckless Hearts seems to have set the tone for the semester so far, Tuesday night trivia has been packed, the Silent Disco was a hit, and the good ol’ fashioned Newfoundland-style kitchen party is coming up this Friday.
During MUNSU elections in March, Director of Student Life Blake Colbran ran on a platform of increasing student engagement. This is an especially pressing issue on a largely commuter campus in a chronically online, post-COVID world. Fall Welcome 2025 has appeared to fulfill that promise.
This year’s schedule saw a well-rounded balance of student activism, professional development, and fun, and it’s still not over.
Musings
Perhaps the far-reaching effects of lockdowns and isolation have finally trickled away, maybe it’s that most people just aren’t overwhelmed by schoolwork yet, but either way, student camaraderie and campus busyness seem more prominent than I’ve ever seen in my time at Memorial post–COVID.
We’re still quite far from returning to the level of student involvement and campus buzz experienced before COVID. Based on the practically mythological stories, it’s doubtful whether campus will ever return to that state of liveliness.
So – is the Breezeway officially back? I would claim yes, but only time will tell.
What do you think? Do you like the Breezeway? Share with us on social media @themuseyyt.
