A Home Close to Home
By MYCAH LEWIS
Now that the first few weeks of the semester have settled in so have the home sick jitters. College campuses across America experience mass migrations of local students going back to their homes, leaving an empty campus for those individuals who do not have the luxury to go home for a day or two. Defiance College, despite the size, is one of those many colleges that becomes largely empty on the weekends.
Although Defiance boasts about having a diverse student population from all over the country, there remains a large majority that live within driving distance of the school. For these students the weekends offer a chance to visit family, receive home cooked meals and wash their laundry for free. Defiance student Angelika Krumnow says that her reason for leaving campus on the weekend is because her “family and boyfriend don’t live on campus,” a comment I am sure many students would share.
Being away from home, regardless of the distance, is an issue that many college students struggle with, which leads them to go home and visit for a day or two. Although the trade off of two days at home for five days at school may not sound enticing it does have its benefits, such as just getting away and surrounding yourself with familiar faces. For a homesick student that alone is reward enough to spend money on gas for a trip back home.
Although students are led off campus by the thought of being able to visit loved ones, there are many things that colleges can offer to help encourage students to stay on campus all week long. Many schools have begun scheduling special events on weekends so students have something fun to consider attending. When asked about what Defiance College could do Freshman Alex Staup requested that the college “offer more weekend trips to the entire student body so everybody can have a chance to go on one.” Alex also suggested the college, “schedule fun events on the weekends, instead of the weekdays, so that the events do not conflict with the study time of the students.”
Although trips like that still keep students off campus it would do so by getting them involved with members of the campus community and on campus once they return. For many students the temptation of going home is too strong to be combated by a few weekend trips. Gabby Marretta suggests that the school “offer free concerts on weekends, and schedule activities such as capture the flag and residence hall events” so that people can meet each other and maybe feel more excited to stay on campus.
Regardless of what the Defiance College does, students will still take a small trip back home. The school already offers a wide range of events, whether it be movie night at the president’s house or a football game on Saturday afternoons. By choosing to leave students leave this events awkwardly empty and boring for those who do stay on campus. College is what you make of it, so take advantage of what Defiance has to offer and get involved by cheering on the various sports teams or catching a movie at President Gordon’s house. If you still don’t feel interested in any of the options the school gives you then get a group of friends and find something fun to do on campus together or suggest activities to the faculty and the Campus Activities Board (CAB). Next weekend, maybe put off a visit to mom and dad and enjoy the activities on campus.
