I am sure that everyone can agree with me when I say that the number one complaint about RPI is its complete lack of a cohesive social life. Over the past several weeks, after the end of GM Week and the start of spring celebrations on other campuses like Fountain Day and SienaFest, I’ve heard these complaints intensify. There is not much that can be done to force someone to have fun, but there are a few things that can be done to encourage people to do so.
We have the potential for events like those at other schools; indeed, we used to have them. Pictures from past GM Weeks show hundreds of students together at events—everyone having a good time. It is this kind of attitude that RPI needs to recover. To do so we need to create new types of events and abstain from getting in the way of students currently enjoying themselves.
There have been some attempts at starting new events. Many have heard about the “Go Be Red” initiative that seeks to foster school spirit in RPI students. This is great for encouraging students to attend games and activities, but my guess is that the majority of students who will participate are already active on campus. The $6,000 could be better spent on holding free food events in the quad, open sporting events like NRB’s Freshman Olympics, or other activities that are solely aimed at bringing people together.
A dedicated campus loop shuttle with the CDTA, which would bring students to the events offered at other colleges, and deliver other students to the events at RPI is another idea that could nurture a growth in social life on campus. New people and faces at events could encourage more RPI students to go, and most anything is more fun when there are a larger and more diverse amount of people there. Negotiations on such an initiative started a few years ago, but died, and should be restarted as soon as possible.
At present, the only events that draw hundreds to them are frat parties, and these are not as plentiful as they used to be. Under the guise of protecting students, the “Underage Drinking Task Force” nearly destroyed any traces of a cohesive social life at RPI. I will admit that it is somewhat sad that alcohol plays so large a role on campus, but people should be allowed to enjoy themselves. They are usually not hurting anybody, and any chance for RPI students to get together and have a good time should not be demolished.
RPI has survived without this kind of social life. People right now are fine sticking with their cliques, only having fun with their frats or with the LAN game partners. But any efforts in this direction could only improve the quality of life on campus, and that is something that many would agree is sorely needed.
