Tunes is over. This bittersweet sentence may come as a relief to some and heartbreaking to others. Regardless of your stance, congratulations to all that participated and dedicated the majority of their semester to Tunes. You may be feeling like there’s a hole in your schedule. No more nightly Tunes practices? What do I do? No need to fear, there’s plenty of opportunities for fellowship and fun left in the semester.
Ever been to OBU’s rock wall? Located in SPEC, the rock wall is open between 4-8 p.m., Monday-Thursday. The climbing wall is free to all OBU students and provides a wide variety of challenges. Beginners will find routes tailored to their needs, while seasoned professionals will find difficult trials that will test them. The rock wall is a great way to get some exercise, cheer on your friends and spend time at one of the many facilities OBU has to offer.
Rec Life features great deals on camping and outdoor equipment. Get a group of friends and rent a campsite at Lake DeGray. Tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pads are all relatively cheap and can make for a fun night with friends. Roast hot dogs or have an impromptu pot luck with a close group of friends or invite others to make new friends. You could rent a few kayaks and take a journey across Lake DeGray. Summer is barely hanging on, so while we still have this great weather try to make the most of your outdoor time. For more information on renting outdoor equipment contact Shane Seaton by email seatons@obu.edu or by phone 870-245-5268 to schedule a rental.
OBU intramurals are a great way to hang out with friends while having fun on and off the field/court. Intramurals are currently in soccer season, October 2-26, and games go from 3:30pm to 7:30pm. It’s too late to sign up for soccer, but going to the games is a great way to support clubs and your friends. Volleyball intramurals will start on November 6 and last until November 30, so if you missed soccer signups or couldn’t join because of Tunes, volleyball is a great way to fill the gap that Tunes left in your schedule.
Making it through the school week can be difficult. Why not get a group of friends from Tunes or your dorm and go see a movie? Make a night out of it; Benton and Texarkana are both relatively close and are great places to eat and catch a movie. October is proving to be a good month for movies with Blade Runner 2049 (October 6) already gaining massive critic praise and a hand-full of horror, thrillers on the way. If you want to scream and jump with your friends you may look into Jigsaw or Happy Death Day. If murder mysteries are more of your style, check out Michael Fassbender in The Snowman, releasing on October 20. Alleviate some stress, get off campus and go see a movie!
As a student at Ouachita, you are required to attend one art exhibit, musical performance and theatrical performance each semester. Why stop there? Support your friends and peers by attending as many school events as you can. Appreciate the hard work and dedication that your fellow students have put into their exhibits and performances. There are Fine Art events going on all year, so be sure to check your Tigermail to stay up to date on when and where these events will take place.
Clubs around campus host events throughout the semester. For students looking at the possibility of pledging to a social club, this can be a great way to meet the members and get a feel for the club’s dynamic. Even if you aren’t looking to join a club, these events can be a great “study break” and a way to get out of the dorms and have some fun with friends and possibly make some in the process. Clubs will hang posters and flyers around campus to campaign for these events, as well as send out emails. Be sure to keep a lookout for whenever these begin to show up!
Ouachita is proud of its many ways for students to be active on campus, and participate in school events. Whether you have extra free time after Tunes or just want to see all that Ouachita has to offer, start with one of these events/areas and broaden your horizon as you meet new people and get more involved.
By Will Blase, features editor
