There is complete and utter silence. Not a single living, breathing soul to be seen for miles. A tumbleweed rolls across the empty wastelands (metaphorically speaking). This bleak, depressing sight is the Shepherd University campus on a typical Saturday morning. I’m exaggerating of course, but the issue of an empty campus on weekends is an unfortunate reality for many resident students. While the fact that there are many commuter students contributes to the emptiness, it is an undeniable fact that many resident students leave the university every weekend, leaving the remaining students wondering what exactly they should do in the quiet town.
People leave campus on the weekends for a variety of legitimate reasons, including work, visiting family and various other engagements, but those who stay are left with a college that, on the surface level, appears to be very boring. If you are one of these weekly apocalypse survivors, then chances are you want to find something to do to enjoy your weekend to its fullest. Well, I’m here to let you know that not all hope is lost. There are other bored, confused and lonely college students on campus during the weekends who are making their way through the weekends just like you are, and there are ways that we can all unite together in order to breathe life back into the campus before Monday strikes again.
The first piece of weekend survival advice that I’d offer anyone who is going to be bored and have some free time during the weekend is to check out the postings in the Ram’s Den. You can do this during lunchtime on a weekday and find information on the various clubs and events that are held during the weekend and plan your weekend in advance. There is similar information on Shepherd’s website (www.shepherd.edu) where you can browse through a calendar of upcoming events. Another route you could peruse is taking weekend trips to the Wellness Center. I can say that even on the empty weekends, you are sure to find community members working out or playing a game of pick-up basketball. If none of these options capture your attention or seem like something that you’d be interested in, then it may be time to take matters into your own hands. If you live in a dorm and your RA stays on campus during the weekend, you might ask them to assist you in organizing weekend activities where residents get a chance to earn lottery points. If you gather up enough people, you could start your own club on campus that has meetings on the weekends, and if you don’t have enough, you could always use that as an excuse to make new friends. The more you look, the less dead a weekend seems, and with a little initiative, every single one of us who is stuck here on these silent Saturdays can make a difference.