One of the events I covered for this week’s issue of The Polytechnic was the GM Week kick-off event held in the Armory. “Disappointing,” sums up the event best. It was not the event itself that disappointed me; rather, it was the lack of students that attended the event. Even with free games, free pizza, and free prizes, there were a disappointing number of students who attended. What college student doesn’t love something that begins with “free?”
It is understandable that many people have plans for Friday evenings. Then there are students who view events like this as “lame.” Sure it can be said that it is childish to gallop around on an inflatable horse through an obstacle course, but in a few short years these memories will be short lived. Most of us will have jobs and live in the real world, and won’t have the ability to engage in such carefree activities.
It would have been great to see more people there, even if it was a group of kids who pre-gamed the kick-off event and engaged in furious jousting battles. What wouldn’t be more fun than whacking one of your friends in the head with a giant pugil stick while slightly inebriated? Sure there is the risk of getting caught, but isn’t that half the fun?
Encourage your friends to go to the events together. They might be lame if you were there alone, but if you went in a group they would be much more enjoyable. Being with your friends makes almost any situation much more fun than it actually is.
I think some wish that GM Week’s historic presence on campus would return. I find that it lacks the school spirit that it should. Maybe, to encourage students to get involved again, we need to roll out the beer truck and fill those GM Week mugs with some fresh Yuengling just like they did years ago. Everyone knows that students at Rensselaer would flock to free beer.
Hopefully I have motivated a few of you to put down your X-box controller, head outside, and enjoy everything that GM Week has to offer. With that in mind, this Friday is the GM Week Finale. Delay your drinking plans for a few hours—or don’t delay them; what else were flasks made for?—and come enjoy the festivities at the field house. Whether you’re there to hear the results of the election, go one-on-one with a mechanical bull, or trip out while watching the fireworks, get off your lazy ass and come enjoy the final event of GM Week.
