How many times do you hear the word “commuter school” when referring to Nicholls? I’m sure you have lost count, if you were ever keeping track at all. But what does it mean that Nicholls is a commuter school? Or better yet, what do students lose by attending a college bearing this title? As winter makes its presence known, many students also showcase the reality that Nicholls is a commuter school. Walk through Bollinger Memorial Student Union or the quad on a winter’s day, and you will certainly notice the similar flocks of high school lettermen jackets-Central Lafourche, South Terrebonne, Assumption, the list continues.

Although nothing is wrong with maintaining old friendships one’s typically forged because of geographical convenience (neighbors), it seems many students are reluctant to establish new friendships once in college, preferring to rely on old acquaintances that in many cases do not share common interests. Generally, the aforementioned people come to school, go to their classes and then go home or to work. The cycle continues.

This cycle has made me realize too many students attend Nicholls for a piece of paper (a degree), a job promotion or a weekday filler.

Of course, we are all here with hopes of one day crossing the stage with a smile on our face and degree in our hand. Nonetheless, I think too many of our fellow classmates bypass the college experience by doing so.

I realize the phrase “college experience” seems problematic, especially since everyone has different college experiences. So, what is the college experience?

To some the college experience may be living in dorms or living in the Union. To others, it may be joining athletics or joining Greek life. To a small minority, it might be reading a book quietly in the library or sitting on a bench in the quad doing math homework. However, I feel students who wish to immerse themselves in the college experience must go one step further.

With the exception of incoming freshmen, everyone here at Nicholls has a declared major. I would like to think everyone has chosen their majors because they are skilled in that particular field or simply enjoy whatever it is they do-business, history, engineering, culinary, education, etc.

Almost every field of study at Nicholls has a club affiliation, and since most students have chosen their majors because it is something they enjoy, then they should also join a club-their club, where they can meet people who most likely enjoy the same things.

I imagine each club solving the problems of their own universe: government majors debating progressive taxation, English majors trying to define postmodernism, education majors comparing teaching methods and culinary majors determining whether a dish has enough salt.

Student organizations enhance campus life, establish strong bonds between students and most importantly, assist in desegregating high school clicks, ultimately creating one unified but very diverse campus.

If students, especially commuters, are unwilling to consider joining the club of their majors, they prove they are only here for a piece of paper, unwilling to make new friends and are uninterested in partaking in the college experience.

After all, if a student is unable to find a club that suits his fancy, there is always the option of starting a new one. If anyone out there has any new club ideas, I’ll be glad to lend my John Hancock to the cause.