Bartram
Brand HBCUbian
Should freshman have to spend at least two semesters living on campus? In this day and age, a proposal like this would be about as feasible and enforceable as mandatory Sunday morning drill and church at Tuskegee back in the 30s.
Living on the yard is an invaluable part of the college experience I would contend. It's almost like a bonding process in being a part of any group; you are there, you "bond" with the campus, you (hopefully) get involved with campus activities, you learn all of the nuances of the campus, all the history, the traditions, you go to class often traveling by foot/bike or whatever (90% car now days), you learn every inch, every crook & cranny of the campus/buildings/dorms (,,,, especially if you pledge or are a part of any campus organization.)
Being in band and "crabbing" and such, we were up and in front of the cafe (Tompkins Hall) every Saturday morning at 6:00am. Going back to campus years later and walking around campus, all the memories are overwhelming. It's something you will share with other alumns/HBCUers for a lifetime.
I was "on the yard" during a summer program and then freshman and sophomore year. Communal living was no big deal/hastle for me as I grew up in all kinds of organizations where you had to live in groups periodically. I went to band camp at Troy State 5 summers and was used to the dreaded "dorm life".
Dorm life at Skegee was pretty funny too. Boy the stories,,, like getting in the shower before all the hot water is gone, having to buy your own toilet tissue and keep an emergency stash in your room (or go "steal" some from the Engineering Bldg ), dreading having to use the bathroom the saturday or sunday morning after a big game/HC weekend after somebody blew chunks all over the place, the ever controversial INNER ROOM VISITATION (and subsequent vows that next year YOU WILL be off the yard and in an apartment), intermittent AC in the fall/spring and room so hot that you have to open the window in winter when it's 28 degrees outside, ROTC waking you up in the morning,, the list is endless!
I'm telling you though; if I had it all to do over again,, I'D DO THE EXACT SAME THING! Campus life, for all it's ups and downs, was all good!
Living on the yard is an invaluable part of the college experience I would contend. It's almost like a bonding process in being a part of any group; you are there, you "bond" with the campus, you (hopefully) get involved with campus activities, you learn all of the nuances of the campus, all the history, the traditions, you go to class often traveling by foot/bike or whatever (90% car now days), you learn every inch, every crook & cranny of the campus/buildings/dorms (,,,, especially if you pledge or are a part of any campus organization.)
Being in band and "crabbing" and such, we were up and in front of the cafe (Tompkins Hall) every Saturday morning at 6:00am. Going back to campus years later and walking around campus, all the memories are overwhelming. It's something you will share with other alumns/HBCUers for a lifetime.
I was "on the yard" during a summer program and then freshman and sophomore year. Communal living was no big deal/hastle for me as I grew up in all kinds of organizations where you had to live in groups periodically. I went to band camp at Troy State 5 summers and was used to the dreaded "dorm life".
Dorm life at Skegee was pretty funny too. Boy the stories,,, like getting in the shower before all the hot water is gone, having to buy your own toilet tissue and keep an emergency stash in your room (or go "steal" some from the Engineering Bldg ), dreading having to use the bathroom the saturday or sunday morning after a big game/HC weekend after somebody blew chunks all over the place, the ever controversial INNER ROOM VISITATION (and subsequent vows that next year YOU WILL be off the yard and in an apartment), intermittent AC in the fall/spring and room so hot that you have to open the window in winter when it's 28 degrees outside, ROTC waking you up in the morning,, the list is endless!
I'm telling you though; if I had it all to do over again,, I'D DO THE EXACT SAME THING! Campus life, for all it's ups and downs, was all good!