ULV should liven up weekends
Campus Times
February 20, 1998
Being the small university that La Verne is, it would be expected that
more activities involving students would go on; that there would be more
students interacting with each other, especially on the weekends when there
is a lot more free time for students.
But, unfortunately, there is not much to do around campus on the weekends
and ULV students are forced to find something, anything, to do.
Intramurals Coordinator Matt Durant has done his part trying to bring
students together for activities involving each other, but he cannot do
it all by himself.
Here is an idea to make La Verne a little bit more entertaining for
students with no transportation or money and for students who do not really
want to leave campus, when there is really nothing else to do.
Why not keep the Student Center open on the weekends and have activities
for the students throughout Saturday and Sunday?
There are already ping pong tables, the Spot, a lounge area and a huge
television for viewing, not to mention the gym upstairs, a couple of treadmills,
step climbers and some exercise bikes to keep in shape. And all of those
are wonderful, so let students take advantage of them on the weekend and
not keep the Student Center on lock down.
So many students use the Student Center during the week for their free
time. Sometimes, the place is so packed you cannot even find a place to
sit and watch "Jerry Springer." I am sure more students would
come on the weekends if the Student Center was open and there were activities
going on, especially when there is nothing else to do, which is usually
every weekend. Why should such a great place be closed down at 10 p.m. and
on the weekends, just because school is not in session? People do still
live here on the weekends and would probably rather do something than just
sit in their rooms.
Keep the building open. It is for the students' enjoyment, so let them
enjoy it. The Student Center should be opened at least until midnight during
the week and on the weekends. We all know that college students do not ever
go to bed until 1 or 2 a.m. anyway.
Plus, just think if there were a few more things in the Student Center
for students. Why not add a couple of video games and pool tables? How about
a built in VCR for the TV area and every Wednesday and Sunday night, have
some sort of movie viewing for the students? Students could request what
movies they would be interested in watching. Activities such as these would
allow students to do something else once in a while and interact with each
other, other than in class.
Or what about the area right next to the Hanawalt Fitness Center? What
a waste of space that place is.
I have been here for four years and that so-called courtyard of rough
sand, a bunch of old benches and some beat up exercise circuits, have just
sat there wasting away.
I once saw an old recruiting video for prospective students for La Verne
and it showed a bunch of kids playing volleyball in the sand having barbeques
and listening to music. What happened to those days? I am sure if barbeques
and volleyball were going on over there now, there would be students participating,
having a great time. Let's bring back those good old times.
But for now, it is just another area that, even if people wanted to
do something there, is locked up tightly like the Student Center, and students
could not use it unless they climb the fences.
There is no reason why we should not be able to have these things for
our enjoyment. They really do not cost that much. With a budget like the
Associated Student Federation (ASF) Forum has, it would not be that big
of a setback for them to spend a little money on students' weekend needs.
It would be a better way to spend that money, rather than having Fun Flicks.
Well I guess for now, students at La Verne will have to resort to what
they have been doing all year long-sitting in their dorm rooms or apartments
looking for something to do.
Laura Czingula, a senior journalism major, is editor in chief of
the Campus Times. She can be reached by e-mail at czingula@ulv.edu.
