Yesterday you were a prospect; today you’re a client. Isn’t that what they say? Gone are the days of free fajitas after a tour of campus, or purple sprinkled doughnuts during a Monday at TCU session. Now that you’re actually a student here, you won’t be getting any of those things. In fact, you’re lucky to get a parking spot.
Life was pretty good as a freshman. You got to walk out on the field during a football game and resident assistants and Connections Mentors helped you through tough times. Plus, you got tons of free T-shirts. and cups, and cozies and pens. The Rec Center is amazing and so close to your dorm, which is nice after the times you hit up the all-you-can-eat buffet. Life on campus was an amazing community of good friends, good food and good times.
As a sophomore you’re still in the center of campus, unless you live in Worth Hills, but you’re no longer getting invited to Frog Camp reunions or the Chancellor’s Assembly. As an underclassman there were all sorts of opportunities to apply for; programs like Frog Aides and the Chancellor’s Leadership Program, but if you didn’t make the cut then, you are out of luck now. Before you know it you’re living off campus and you’re practically TCU’s stepchild. Chances are, the next time you get anything free you’ll be an alumnus. You walk to class in the rain from the freshman overflow lot because commuter parking has been demolished. For lunch you either bum leftover campus cash from a freshman, or dig out your coupon book and your last few bucks and head to Dutch’s.
Campus is evolving in ways that make TCU seem amazing to prospective students. But in some ways, it lets down a promise that it made to prospective students three years ago. Juniors and seniors waited patiently through years of construction and chaos, but got little in return. By taking away some of their parking, dining options and traditional tailgates, the university discourages them from spending any time on campus.
Keep the magic of TCU alive even as students approach graduation. TCU is a community of more than just its on-campus residents, and it should accommodate accordingly. It could be as simple selecting all on an e-mail invitation or opening up programs to students of all ages. It could go as far as giving commuters a place to hang out and eat between classes, or raising academic scholarships for current students based on their performance in college. Little signs of appreciation could bring back a crowd of Horned Frogs that we haven’t seen in a while.
Andrea Drusch is a sophomore news-editorial journalism major from Lake Dallas.
