The world watched an American presidential scandal, Seinfeld aired its last episode, and logging on to the internet meant you couldn’t use the phone. It was 1998, the year you graduated from the University of Waterloo.
Discover campus circa 1998
A lot has changed on campus since you were a student. See what's happening in select buildings during this time!
Buildings marked in yellow were built before 1998
Buildings marked in grey were built after 1998
Student Life Centre (SLC)
Today's students have no idea that the SLC once housed a fantastic bar. But while you were a student, the Bombshelter Pub was a go-to watering hole and a great place to grab lunch. Plus, the bar hosted concerts and other special events, like the 1997 St. Patrick's Day celebration with green beer and (according to the ads) green condoms.
Needles Hall (NH)
If you were enrolled in co-op, you probably spent time in Needles Hall (NH) each term. NH was ground-zero for professional development workshops, co-op interviews and inquiries. More than likely, you were also following a co-op process that pre-dated the World Wide Web. In February 1998, the University introduced a new, web-based computer system for co-op students and employers. From that point on, students have been able to submit job application, view postings and interview schedules, and rank employers online.
Engineering III (E3)
In the '90s extracurricular opportunities exploded. If you hung around the engineering buildings (especially E3), you might have run into the Midnight Sun Solar Rayce Car and Concrete Toboggan teams. In 1997, Midnight Sun unveiled the fourth iteration of their solar-powered car, and Waterloo's toboggans took first and third place at an Ottawa competition.
Did you know...
Before there were geese on campus, there were peacocks. The original director of buildings and grounds, Mike Brookes, acquired the birds to emulate the peacocks on Oxford’s campus.
In 1998...
Fraxinus americana (Common name: White Ash) donated by the Graduating Class of 1998.
See how your legacy has grown
To honour your time at the University, your class donated a tree to our campus. Just like your tree, your role in Waterloo’s history is still felt today.
Because of your class, and the culture you fostered as students, our campus community has grown and flourished. On behalf of current and future students, thank you for the role you played in Waterloo's legacy.
All archival photos courtesy of the University of Waterloo Library. Special Collections & Archives, Kitchener-Waterloo Record Photographic Negative Collection and University of Waterloo Archives, Graphic Services fonds