By Adham Radwan
At AUC New Cairo, anyone hurrying to class near Alwaleed Hall or the School of Sciences and Engineering who wants to grab a snack from Quick 24 must pass by the University's "walk of fame" -- also known as "the steps."
For some, the steps are a place to relax during their gap periods. "I think students sit there to be close to their classes," says Marwa Hussien, an AUC student.
Others experience more anxiety while passing by. "I don't like to sit on the steps because I fear being judged for not wearing a Louis Vuitton bag or Gucci belt, as those who sit there do," says another student who wishes to remain anonymous.
The steps have been a campus staple for decades, dating back to 1964 when the University purchased the Greek Campus to accommodate a growing student body. For years, it housed the library, Social Science building, Social Research Center, Jameel Center and School of Continuing Education (previously known as the Center for Adult and Continuing Education and Division of Public Service). Back then on the Tahrir campus, the steps were known as "the platform" or "the plat," extending from the library to the garden areas at the center of the campus.
Social Science stairs on AUC's Greek Campus, 1990s-2000s. Courtesy of the University Archives 
The Platform (Plat) on AUC's Greek Campus. Photo courtesy of the University Archives 
Social Science stairs on AUC's Greek Campus, 1980s. Courtesy of the University Archives 
The steps in front of the School of Sciences and Engineering at AUC New Cairo. Photo by Ahmad El-Nemr
Many AUCians remember the platform as the cool spot to sit due to its close proximity to the famed "Gucci Corner," where students wearing designer clothes often hung out.
Emad Elba '07, a political science major, mentions Gucci Corner as she recalls the social division of AUC's downtown campus during her undergraduate years in the AUC Memories project. "[If] you wanted a study-abroad student, you went to the Fountain Area, the presidential gate or the rare books library. ... But if you wanted [to find them] with their semi-Egyptian friends, you'll find the gang sitting on the platform by the library gate. ... [If you] wanted an activities dude, you took a trip to the Student Lounge or the Greek booths area. ... [If you were] wondering what's the latest fashion, pass by the Gucci Corner down the platform by the Social [Science] building. ... And of course, for any technical 'scientific' assistance, you go straight [ahead] to the Falaki labs."
Years passed, and the University leased the Greek campus and opened a 260-acre campus in New Cairo. Working with a space more than 30 times larger than AUC Tahrir Square, the Campus Development Committee planned similar spaces to emulate Tahrir Square's intimate atmosphere loved by students, faculty and staff alike.
"It's all about the good view, great location and socializing."
Along with the steps, some institutional narratives were carried from Tahrir Square to New Cairo. Gucci Corner, for example, is now synonymous with the SSE steps, as highlighted in the 2013 Caravan feature "Around AUC in Five Days" by Mona Saleh.
"Arrive to the university and go directly to your favorite place, the SSE steps or as everyone calls it 'The Gucci Corner'. This is where you're going to spend your whole day unless you really want to attend your classes to check out that cute guy. Otherwise, just chill and enjoy the company of your friends."
Yet many who choose to sit on the steps there don't think of themselves as any different than other students. "People think that we are going to bite them, but we won't," said AUC student Salma El-Shamshergy, a familiar face on the steps who chooses to sit there for the sunshine and convenient proximity to any building on campus. "It's all about the good view, great location and socializing."
In a nutshell, the steps are not just a spot where new campus students hang out -- they are an essential part of the AUC journey.
Adham Radwan is an integrated marketing communication senior at AUC