Nothing to do? No excuse for boredom in South Bend
Jacqueline Browder
In Vogue
Because of the Finnegan's bust and the pending end of the home football season, students have already begun to complain that there's nothing to do around here. I have one piece of advice for you pessimists: Get over it.
You're in college. If you can't find ways to amuse yourself now, think what you'll end up doing in ten years. You'll be sitting around, watching infomercials, wondering what happened to your youth.
There are a million things to do at Notre Dame both on and off campus. If you're the magical age of 21, your possibilities are limitless. Since most of us aren't, we have to be a bit more imaginative.
If you've got access to a car (or are confident enough to brave the South Bend bus system), see a movie. Go bowling. Forget the dining halls for an evening and try one of the million chain restaurants on Grape road.
Out of money? Flex yourself a meal and get creative with the hotpot. Put your VCR to use and watch a movie with your roommate/friends/significant other.
Still looking for some fun? You may have outgrown the freshman dorm parties, but if you're really looking to recreate a Boat Club-esque atmosphere, here's an idea. Overcrowd your room, spill things on the floor to make it sticky, purchase cheap refreshments, play the latest top-40 music, invite a few locals over and see what develops. You may be surprised.
Get creative. You know, way back in the dark ages, there was a man who found hours of amusement flipping plastic cups up on a table for sport. That sure caught on, and these days the game can provide a night's worth of entertainment and allow participants to develop great hand eye coordination all in one. Who knew that such a simple game would be so much fun? It's that easy.
Still searching? Notre Dame offers a multitude of options for every crowd. Maybe take in a lecture from a visiting professor and make yourself smarter. Even if you don't learn anything, you can still brag to your friends that you did. The SUB movies aren't half-bad either.
Visit friends in other dorms — even if it's cold out and they live on (gasp!) another quad. Or maybe you could get to know your roommate better. You'd be surprised of all the things you might learn.
If all else fails, catch up on your sleep. Lord knows you need it.
Once again, you're in college. Make the most of it. Complaining that there's nothing to do here on the weekends is like saying that polyester is going to come back into style or that the bookstore is going to charge a reasonable amount for books next semester. It just isn't true. So get out there, be creative and have a good weekend.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Scene Stories for Wednesday, November 15, 2000
