A shortcut from the Engineering Complex through the FLC takes you to the Memorial Union. The Union serves as the gathering place. The first floor includes the Alumni lounge where you can study, visit and relax between classes. The Korner Mart and Coffee Cart are popular quick stops when you need refueling. In addition to books and supplies, the Varsity Mart Bookstore sells cards, gifts and NDSU apparel and memorabilia. If you choose not to keep your textbooks, you can see if the bookstore or our book company will purchase them from you during book buy back at the end of the semester.

Traveling to the lower level of the Union, you can pick up a bite to eat at in the food court. Among the restaurants are Taco Bell, Blimpies, Wok this Way, or the Memorial Union Buffet. The Union Buffet is one of the three contract dining facilities, but students and guests can purchase meal tickets or punch cards for the buffet. During your free time, you can keep busy at the Recreation and Outing Center, which also rents equipment for outdoor recreation. The Student Activities Office on the second floor serves the 200 student organizations at NDSU. Other tenants on the upper level are the campus newspaper, The Spectrum, Student Government and the campus programming board, which is called Campus Attractions.

To avoid the hassle of carrying a wallet, you can deposit money into a debit account called Bison Bucks. Your NDSU ID card serves as the debit card and can be used at the Copy Shop, for laser output at IACC, at the Varsity Mart & Korner Mart, in the food court in the Memorial Union or in vending machines across campus.