Sara Norgon

As the school week winds down and we all anxiously await the weekend, many students face the decision of either going back to their respected hometowns for a few days or staying in Eau Claire. Many of these students are freshmen and sophomores who need a break from the claustrophobic atmosphere of dorm life. Personally, I don’t blame them. It’s easy to get a bit fed up with residence hall life.

As the semester progresses and the homework stacks up, your dorm walls close in on you, and you just can’t understand that person down the hall’s fixation with that Panic! at the Disco song – and you begin to wonder if they have “ever heard of closing the g– d—- door” – we find ourselves in need of a little break from the demands of school.

While the colorful autumn leaves fall and the days start getting colder, we all try and find new ways to keep ourselves entertained (other than mindlessly watching all those sitcoms that have found their way into heavy syndication). In colder weather, Frisbee golf at Mount Simon is seemingly less attractive, swimming at Big Falls is out of the question, and you can only spend so much time on Facebook before needing to seek professional help.

But before you decide to pack up a weekend’s worth of personal belongings and make the trip home, consider sticking around campus and seeing what the university has to offer. There is still much to do and a lot of fun to be had in the cold months of fall and winter.

As I look back at my days living in the dorms, I feel that I could have got more involved with what was happening on campus. For the most part, I ignored what was going on and I just “went out” with friends.

During my freshman year living in Governors Hall, I never went bowling at Hilltop, never heard music at The Cabin, and I have yet to set foot in Higherground.

Now, as a senior, I see my opportunities to take advantage of college activities growing thin as I come closer to graduation. These days I look forward to seeing the unique movies that the Davies Theatre has to offer, or catching some jazz at The Cabin, or going to see the speakers at the Forum Series.

There are also plenty of things that Eau Claire has to offer outside of the campus, other than the bar scene on Water Street.

It seems that within the past few months, Eau Claire’s arts and entertainment magazine, Volume One (which is free), can be found just about anywhere. Volume One is a great source for finding interesting things to do in the Chippewa Valley. I advise everyone to check out Volume One as a guide to what is happening in and around the Eau Claire area.

If you find yourself in a position where a weekend retreat may appeal to you, just check out what is happening on campus or in Eau Claire first. Although it’s good to go home from time to time and visit with family and friends, you also don’t want to miss out on all the unique opportunities that the campus and the city of Eau Claire have to offer. Connecting with your campus and its community will make your overall collegiate experience a more rewarding one, trust me.