TGIT: An untapped opportunity for socializing
Camille Izlar
Issue date: 11/25/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Last Thursday happened to be one of these unexpected frigid days that we've paradoxically come to expect here in Dallas. As we attempted to make our way to TGIT, we were thwarted again and again by the breaking winds and the bristling cold. With such obstacles to overcome, I was hardly surprised by the lack of attendance. However those that did brave the fickle Texan climate, the majority of whom were underclassmen, met an intimate setting of a roaring fire, and the mellow warm tones of Vince Lujan which were apt for the wintry weather. As Allie Mackenzie said, "the smooth jazzy sounds of his original songs, mixed with his awesome rock covers made the perfect combination for us to just chill out and talk with friends."
Some opinions however, were not quite so favorable as the Spud "Traditions" organizer. Joe Jakubzyck commented (to the tune of Fiddler on the Roof's Matchmaker): "Night after night I'm alone and TGIT's boring."
For others, it wasn't really about the music. Alumnus John Platts informed me, "I just wanted to come and see everybody." An estimable goal, but sometimes I wonder if TGIT doesn't just end up being a social gathering where roommates converse with their own roommates. In a setting such as last Thursdays, it would have been the perfect opportunity to broaden horizons and deepen acquaintances.
At such a small school, it seems somewhat ridiculous to see someone 50 times a day and never have the smallest conversation with them. Especially as concerns regarding unity between classes continually crop up, with the sophomores out of the dorms and all the juniors off campus, the contact between groups has gradually diminished.
Thus, TGIT proves to be one of the few common venues for the undergrads as a whole. In the spirit of UD's unique quality of a student body whose relationships transcend class divisions, these interactions remain a key element to prolonging this tradition. If for nothing else, come to keep Joe company on Thursday's nights.
Some opinions however, were not quite so favorable as the Spud "Traditions" organizer. Joe Jakubzyck commented (to the tune of Fiddler on the Roof's Matchmaker): "Night after night I'm alone and TGIT's boring."
For others, it wasn't really about the music. Alumnus John Platts informed me, "I just wanted to come and see everybody." An estimable goal, but sometimes I wonder if TGIT doesn't just end up being a social gathering where roommates converse with their own roommates. In a setting such as last Thursdays, it would have been the perfect opportunity to broaden horizons and deepen acquaintances.
At such a small school, it seems somewhat ridiculous to see someone 50 times a day and never have the smallest conversation with them. Especially as concerns regarding unity between classes continually crop up, with the sophomores out of the dorms and all the juniors off campus, the contact between groups has gradually diminished.
Thus, TGIT proves to be one of the few common venues for the undergrads as a whole. In the spirit of UD's unique quality of a student body whose relationships transcend class divisions, these interactions remain a key element to prolonging this tradition. If for nothing else, come to keep Joe company on Thursday's nights.
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