BORED AWARDS: THE BEST OF UVM IN 2023
As finals week approaches and closes out another school year, we here at UVM BORED are reflecting on all of the fun we had! From a new campus love for Greta the taxidermy catamount to epic Freebie Fridays. From growing our little team to FIVE, to rocketing to viral stardom on TikTok with our mini mics in hand (we can’t believe it)! From tabling at SpringFest and giving free Yerba Mattes to the masses, it has been quite the year! We loved sharing all of our favorite moments with you!
It’s also around this time that we bring you the long-awaited results of the annual BORED Awards! Now in its 9th year, the BORED Awards highlight the best of the best at UVM and beyond, as voted on by YOU! While some past winners continue their reign in 2023, we’re excited to have some new winners rise to the occasion!
If you’re interested, you can check out the historical BORED Awards Archives and read up on past winners. But without further ado, here are your 2023 BORED Award winners (+ some commentary from us BOREDies, of course)!
BEST ON-CAMPUS COFFEE SHOP
Winner: Henderson’s | Runner-Up: Campus Perk
Since the beginning of the BORED Awards for its 9 years running, there has been a single winner in this category and that ain’t changing this year! Being crowned for the 9th year in a row is Henderson’s. There’s a reason students flock to this café every day, never allowing the line to shrink to a reasonable size. The location on the Davis Center’s third floor along with their stellar Chai (I am 100% biased) are only a fraction of what makes this café an undeniable favorite. Coming in second place is Campus Perk!
BEST RETAIL DINING LOCATION
Winner: Skinny Pancake | Runner-Up: New World Tortilla
Need a coffee? Yerba? Breakfast sandwich? Crepe? Skinny Pancake has you covered. Located on Athletic campus, Skinny Pancake is just a few minutes’ walk from Central Campus, so it’s the perfect spot to grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner between your classes. Plus, you can always guarantee that there will be a fire playlist in the background while you’re ordering your food. Coming in second, we have New World Tortilla. Located right in the Davis Center, New World is a super convenient lunch or dinner spot, and their burritos are delicious!
BEST DINING HALL
Winner: Harris-Millis | Runner-Up: Central
📸: Heubert Constructions
Ahh, Harris-Millis, the top-tier dining hall if you’re looking for a slice of pizza or some fire chicken nuggets. And their ice cream, well, that’s just the icing on the cake! Harris-Millis is the perfect spot to grab a big group of pals and recap your day over some yummy grub. Plus, its location is just perfect, sitting almost exactly halfway between Redstone and Central Campus! Speaking of Central, this year’s runner-up is Central Dining! This has to be most people’s favorite spot to grab a bite to eat in between classes. Beware, though, that lunch-time line can get a bit long.
BEST BAGEL SHOP
Winner: Burlington Bagel Bakery| Runner-Up: The Bagel Place
Ahhhh what is better than grabbing a bagel on the weekend at Burlington Bagel Bakery?! This spot has won for the past 3 years and now is crowned with the title of best bagel for the 4th year in a row! They are located on Church Street an serve up some amazing breakfast sandwiches, bagel combos, drinks, pastries and more! If you want to escape Burlington you can visit our runner up this year, The Bagel Place over in Williston. Fun fact, The Bagel Place is one of Noah Kahan’s favorite New England Spots!
BEST DOWNTOWN COFFEE SHOP
Winner: Muddy Waters | Runner-Up: Black Cap
Are we really surprised? Muddy Waters is loved by UVM students for its oddly comforting ambiance. Everything from our favorite not-so-little monster friends inside the café, to the almost worrisome amount of plants, Muddy Waters is a UVM students’ go-to place to grind out some school work, or even settle in with a good book. Make sure you grab a note tucked in the walls (or other places) throughout the café, they may just brighten your day! Our runner-up is Black Cap, and though I may be biased toward their stellar cappuccinos, their employees will never fail to put a smile on your face! Plus, they have some delicious breakfast sandwiches! No matter where you prefer to get your coffee, if you can tip your baristas, I’m sure they would appreciate it!
BEST PIZZA PLACE
Winner: American Flatbread | Runner-Up: Mr. Mike’s Pizza
American Flatbread is a spectacular place to treat friends and family to a good slice. This 5-time winner is in downtown Burlington and boasts a variety of different pies all baked in a primitive wood-fired earthen oven. Our runner up is Mr. Mike’s Pizza and they are both great for late-night pizza runs!
BEST ON-CAMPUS STUDY SPOT
Winner: Howe Library | Runner-Up: Davis Center
Once again, Howe Library is crowned the winner of best on-campus study spots. Filled to the brim with ancient books and focused students, you can’t go wrong with this study spot! Sporting a three-floor layout, Howe offers a variety of environments for productivity. From the collaborative first floor to the dead-silent third floor, this spot is versatile! Our runner-up is the Davis Center. This is a great place to study if you enjoy a little ambient background noise. And if all the studying makes you work up an appetite, there’s plenty of places to choose from.
BEST CLASS/COURSE
Winner: NR 1010| Runner-Up: NR 1020
Breaking CDAE 002’s 2-year record for the best course at UVM, the department of Natural Resources is coming in strong. NR 1010, better known as Natural History & Human Ecology, focuses on integrating the science of ecology with the science of humans and society. This class emphasizes the interconnected relationship between social organizations and our global natural landscape. The runner up is yet another Natural Resources class- NR 1020!
BEST PROFESSOR
Winner: Dr. Walter Poleman| Runner-Up: Dr. Lizzy Pope
There are so many great professors at UVM and this year we got a new winner and last years runner up, Dr. Walter Poleman! Dr. Poleman is a senior lectures that most famously teaches both semesters of Natural History & Human Ecology (NR 1010 and NR 1020), but teaches so many other wonderful classes. He is described as leading the next generation of Natural Resources professionals, brings joy to the classroom in song, has an expert memory and master birder, and is extortionary passionate about getting student excited in the field! Our runner up this year won best professor last year and it is Dr. Lizzy Pope! Dr. Lizzy Pope teaches Fundamentals of Nutrition (NFS 1043) here at UVM and is known for adding pop culture into classes for some added excitement and joy!
BEST COLLEGE/SCHOOL
Winner: CAS | Runner-Up: CALS
Just like last year, the College of Arts and Sciences, our largest college here at UVM, took the cake for best college, with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences just behind them. CAS truly does have so much to offer, with majors from anthropology to zoology. And as a CALS student myself, I must say that I think that our college is prettyyyyyy cool– just look at some of our cows!
BEST CLUB/ORGANIZATION
Winner: UVM Program Board (UPB )| Runner-Up: The Water Tower/ FeelGood
The news is in… UVM Program Board wins the title for the best club/organization. The UVM BORED Team will swallow our pride and step aside. It’s UPB’s time to shine! Bringing us Labor Day Comedy Show, Candy Shoppe, Art Attack, FallFest, SpringFest, and numerous other memorable events, you can always count on UPB for a great time. Tying for second place this year is UVM’s alternative magazine The Water Tower and UVM Feel Good. Congrats to all!
BEST CLUB SPORT
Winner: Women’s Rugby / Soccer | Runner-Up: Ballet Viridis
With 11 points each, soccer and women’s rugby have taken this year’s title as UVM’s best club sport. Women’s rugby continues to dominate the New England Wide Collegiate Rugby Conference in Division 2. And in soccer, women’s team had a 5-2-0 fall season, while the men’s team had a 16-4-2 season and was the North Division Champions in 2022. Although we already mentioned two club sports teams, we want to shout out Ballet Viridis for being the runner-up. We see y’all filling out the survey during your meeting times. 😉
FAVORITE SPORTING EVENT
Winner: Hockey | Runner-Up: Basketball
As a school in the North East, who is surprised that this winter sport took the gold? Hockey games are a tradition here at UVM, so much so we even have a saying celebrating our love for the sport – pack the gut!! Hockey season is a time for friends, family, adrenaline, and of course, sporting green and gold! Basketball is this year’s runner-up, and boy, do they deserve it. BOTH the men’s and women’s teams made it to the NCAA tournament for the second time in UVM athletic history! Shoutout to the women’s team specifically for making it to the tournament for the first time since 2010! Go cats go!
BEST INTRAMURAL SPORT
Winner: Volleyball | Runner-Up: Soccer
Among a large sum of diverse intramural sports that bring us UVM students both closer together and against one another in competitive fury, there was one clear cut winner that stood out above the rest. That sport is Volleyball. Garnering a hefty chunk of votes above second place, the people have spoken! Our runner-up is soccer, my personal favorite intramural sport I played this year.
BEST MEDIA ORGANIZATION
Winner: UVM BORED | Runner-Up: Watertower
WE PROMISE WE DIDN’T CHEAT!!! We deeply appreciate your votes and thank you for another great year of events and content we’ve gotten to share with all you beautiful people. BORED is by students, for students and our greatest goal is to help you better your UVM experience. We can’t wait to come up with more content and share more events with everyone this fall! Thank you again for your support, we’re here for you! <3
BEST LEARNING COMMUNITY
Winner: Sustainability | Runner-Up: Arts and Creativity
Back to win after a two-year hiatus is Sustainability- and it is here to sustain. Whether it’s exploring the nature of Vermont, sharing in sustainable practices, or relaxing with a cup of tea- this community is living in and helping to build a better tomorrow. Coming in a close and well-deserved second is Arts and Creativity. Be sure to check out our latest blog on this frequently (and wrongly) underrated LC!
BEST RESIDENTIAL HALL COMPLEX
Winner: UHeights | Runner-Up: L&L
University Heights is making a comeback as it now has won 6 times (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, and now 2023)! They are home to the Honors College and Sustainability and are close to almost all areas on campus. The runner is last year’s winner, L&L, the rivalry of the two has gone back all the way to the stone ages, but for this year UHeights is back on top!
BEST ON-CAMPUS EVENT
Winner: SpringFest | Runner-Up: RailJam
It was less than a week ago that we were all on the green and we were dancing, listening to music, and giving out tons of Yerba Mattes at UPB’s SpringFest! Even though it was raining, everyone came out to see headliner Remi Wolf, opener Saint Motel and student band Earthworm! There was some tasty food as well ranging from Only Cannoli, Church street Cheesesteaks, and Maudite Poutine. The runner up this year for the second year in a row: Ski and Snowboard Club’s Jibs and Jubilation, otherwise known as Rail Jam!
BEST UVM LANDMARK
Winner: Greta the Taxidermy Catamount | Runner-Up: Catamount Statue
When choosing a landmark to represent our school, it’s important to pick a showstopper that people are sure to remember. Who else could fit that description better than Greta, our beloved taxidermy Catamount? Greta, who was once a Student Life niche celebrity (who do you think named her… 😉), has emerged from the shadows of the Marsh Life building and into the light of the Davis Center for all to admire. We are so glad she’s finally getting the attention she deserves. As for our runner-up, it seems like we have a bit of a theme here. What can we say…. Our mascot is the catamount after all. The Catamount statue withstands all the Vermont weather and frigid cold so that they can greet students year-round as they go to their classes. What a selfless icon. Personally, I think they deserve a name too. My vote is for “Jerome.”
BEST PENS ON CAMPUS
Winner: BORED | Runner-Up: UPB
Who’s even keeping count of how often BORED has won best pens? OH WAIT, I AM! BORED has dominated the Best Pens category for the past FIVE years. Though it may seem like we rig this question, you just can’t argue with the scientific fact that BORED’s pens are the best. Not only are they Papermate brand, but they come in basically any color your heart desires! Come find us when we’re tabling and grab one (or two) FREE pens! A special shout-out to our friends over at UPB for being the runner-up. We know you may think you have the best pens, but the people say otherwise!
BEST CAMPUS PERSONALITY
Winner: GRETA| Runner-Up: Hazel the Wellness Dog
You know her, you love her: it’s our little princess, Greta, sweeping yet ANOTHER BORED awards category. You can’t help but be charmed by that smile. Sure, she may not be able to move her face (or body… or anything, really) but her eyes could tell a million stories. We love you, Greta, even when you’re in a mood. Our runner-up, Hazel the Wellness Dog, was also in our top two for campus personality last year- and for good reason! Hazel lights up the campus with her wagging tail and infectious energy. Our mascot may be the Cats, but UVM loves dogs too!
BEST HAMMOCKING SPOT
Winner: Redstone Forest | Runner-Up: Central (Lamentation statues)
The hammock. A true staple of this wonderful university. And what better place to enjoy this staple than the Redstone Forest? Whether you are looking to get some work done, enjoy some reading, or just create a human cocoon the Pines are the place to be. The close proximity to Redstone housing and the nature ambience are only a fraction of what these trees have to offer. The runner-up is the central green, home of the Lamentation statues (also known as the Dementors). Located in the center of campus in the midst of a flow of students, this green is a great spot to get your dose of hammocking in. If you keep your eyes peeled, you might get lucky and see a double hammock!
BEST LOCAL BAND
Winner: Dick Richard | Runner-Up: Lunch
Let the music play and we are excited to have a new winner to this title, Dick Richard Band! They have been a band now for 2 ½ years formed during the height of the pandemic! The members include Nat on vocals, George on guitar, Max on drums, and Gabe on bass. They have experimented with all different styles of music but they are definitely a punk rock band! They currently have 15 originals, but they all perform covers as well! You can check out their music here and their Instagram for details about their upcoming show! Our runner up this year is Lunch, a 5 piece funk rock Trinity band that made it to the Battle of Bands Finale this year. They perform a killer set of covers and originals!
BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE
Winner: Higher Ground | Runner-Up: Radio Bean
One of the coolest things about going to school in Burlington is the amazing music scene! From local bands to touring artists, Burlington has a reputation for lively concerts with enthusiastic crowds that keep big names coming to our little city. Two of the most iconic music venues here are Higher Ground and Radio Bean. Located so close to campus with amazing sets and affordable prices, both venues make attending concerts super easy and fun!
BEST HIKING SPOT
Winner: Mt. Mansfield| Runner-Up: Camel’s Hump
With a summit of 4,395 feet, Mt Mansfield is our honorable winner for best hike. This trail is not for the faint of heart as it boasts many rock scrambles and ledges alongside its elevation. But don’t let this challenge scare you! Mt Mansfield is a very popular area for backpacking, birding, and camping. Plenty of parking ($4/person) is available at the start of the Mount Mansfield loop trail as well as bathrooms and water at the trailhead. Be sure to check the AllTrails app for conditions before starting your journey!
