The Truth About Weekends

A big question about college, and part of the decision process for many, is about the term “commuter college.”

When I came for my UWGB tour on a Friday afternoon last fall I was very concerned with the fact that the tour guides said many of the students will go home or off campus on weekends. I would be one of the people on campus on those weekends…would I be the only one?

Then I got here and figured out what that really was about.It’s true. A LOT of people go home or off campus on weekends. When the buzz starts on Wednesdays about where everyone is going it can make you feel very abandoned. Until you realize what really happens on campus on the weekend.The benefits of staying on campus are numerous. Here are just a few:

1.)    My roommate has yet to spend a weekend here. That means I get my room to myself to play the music I like, talk on the phone without worrying about interrupting studying, clean,  and stay up as late, or go to bed as early as I feel like it without worrying about anyone else. Last weekend I found a group of people who had roommates leave for the weekend and we ordered pizza together. My friends who have their roommates on campus on the weekends usually have movie marathons or go to events together. Either way you win.

2.)    It’s easy to get your laundry/homework done.  The best known study tip is to get things done while you do your laundry! With 36 minutes to wash and 48 minutes to dry per load you are well on your way to finishing all of your homework AND getting some cleaning done. I do my laundry on Friday after my class and have never run into anyone else in the laundry room or had to wait for a machine! That also leaves most of my weekend homework-free, or at least manageable enough to take my time doing it.

3.)    Tying into the first two, it tends to be quiet on the weekends. Get your homework done! With no distractions for an hour or two you can get most of the reading done for the first few days of the week!  (I’ve found this very beneficial when I feel like doing nothing after my classes on my very busy Tuesday and am already done with Wednesday’s reading!)

4.)    The U-Pass, free bus rides for all student-ID holders, is apparently new this year. Not having a car on campus, I am a huge fan. If you are ever bored on a weekend, find a friend and hop on the bus right from campus! The bus runs every hour (it runs more frequently during the week) and you can get off campus and wander the city of Green Bay where you can go shopping, get discounts at local fast-food places, or just do what my friends and I did Friday night and walk the streets singing loudly and taking pictures.

5.)    Good things happen at night! The people and organizations who plan events know that there are people who cannot go home every weekend or that there are people who don’t want to go home every weekend so there are fun events. After Hours is a dance club that happens once a month in the Union. Just like a middle-school or high-school dance it’s a good time to hang out with your friends, take goofy pictures, and meet some new people.
Last night was an event called UWGB Nites. Since one of my friends on campus is an Elvis impersonator, we went the second we heard the word “karaoke.” After braving the rain and walking to the Union, we found out about the mini-golf that included prizes of water bottles, t-shirts, bags, hats and other various merchandise. There were arts and crafts (I made some magnets and a really cute purse if I do say so myself), photo booths, Wii tournaments, and raffle drawings. You could sing karaoke as much as you wanted and could even get CDs of your performance. There was pizza, ice cream, soda, juice, and popcorn. Did I forget to mention it was all completely FREE to students?

So after this very long entry, you can clearly see that if you are willing to attend random events on campus you will always have something to do. Weekends are truly what you make of them here at UWGB!