Going beyond the books

By Maryanne Baricevic and Tara Cano

At the end of the day, after classes end, there is a sea of students who flood Santa Clara's campus. As we look at them, we wonder where are they all going? There are a number of answers. To the naked eye, it may look like there is not a lot to do at Santa Clara but if you look a little closer, you will see that this campus holds many possibilities for a good time.

One activity that students take part in on campus is intramural sports. Intramurals are a way for students to have fun while staying fit. They are a great way to socialize with people away from academics.

"Intramurals are fun because you get to see all of your friends outside of class and you also get to meet new people," sophomore Helen Allrich said.

If you are not athletic, that does not mean your options are limited. Santa Clara has many organizations that sponsor extra-curricular events. The Activities Planning Board (APB) and the Multi Cultural Center (MCC) are just a few examples of organizations that sponsor events like bake sales, guest speakers, comedy events, concerts and dances.

Dances are a time when Santa clara students can relax outside of class.

Senior Shanda Close reflects on her junior ball from last year.

"It was a really fun way to get a break from the stress of classes," she said. "I'm looking forward to going to the senior ball this year and hopefully having just as much fun."

Many students share these sentiments, which makes the Santa Clara dances very popular. Not only do the dances serve as a place for students to get together, but they are a place that can showcase student's talents. For example, at this year's junior ball, the band consisted of a group of Santa Clara students. They were a big hit with the crowd, and even sold some of their CDs at the dance.

The party scene at Santa Clara is where you will find most students on a Wednesday, Friday or Saturday night. Just follow the crowd of freshman walking to the Alviso's. If you make it to the party before the police break it up, you will be in good shape. There is no worse feeling than getting all dolled up for a party, and getting there only to find out that it has already been broken up.

For other people, fun can be found in Greek life. Fraternities and sororities give students a chance to gather and enjoy themselves through philanthropic tasks and social events. To some, Greek life offers a chance to bond outside of the classroom.

"Delta Zeta has been a great outlet and model of support while trying to balance the heavy workload of Santa Clara," junior Jamie Ceccato said.

If you travel off campus, the options for fun are much wider. Nearby clubs and museums are a place where students go for fun on the weekends. While the clubs are a cool place for students to hang out, if you're under 21, you may be out of luck. Luckily, there are under 21 clubs for students who have not reached the legal drinking age. Even then, if choices are not as broad as they may like, hope is not lost, there are still fun places for them to go.

"I like to go swing dancing up in the city," junior Melissa Dickerson said. "The city is fun because there is so much to do, you can always find something new there to do."

San Francisco is very popular for Santa Clara students. Since there is so much to do there, San Francisco is the usual hot spot for most students. With so many clubs, bars and other tourist attractions, San Francisco is considered by most students as "the place to be."

San Francisco is not the only weekend getaway for students. With Lake Tahoe and Santa Cruz being only a hop, skip and a jump away, many students tend to hit the slopes or surf the seas when the weekend hits.

"Another way I like to relax is to go skiing," Dickerson said. "The mountains are so close, it makes it really easy to go up to Tahoe for a weekend."

Santa Clara's activities are similar to what most colleges offer, especially in the Bay area.At Saint Mary's College, sporting events are popular; however, the attendance at some of these events could be improved.

Sophomore Cynthia Harrison, a friend of a SMC student, claims that Santa Clara is much better than SM.

"SMC students throw parties in their rooms - how fun," Harrison sarcastically said. "As we learned last year, their idea of fun is coming to Santa Clara and trying to ruin our campus."SM students, like Santa Clara students, spend their time going to San Francisco to go clubbing or bar hopping. However, SMC students climb the hill to repaint their letters.

The next time you think of complaining that there is nothing to do at Santa Clara think of the SM students. They are probably sitting in their rooms or freezing on top of a hill repainting some letters. Be thankful that Santa Clara has more than that to offer on a Friday night.