The overall weak turnout at this year’s Spring Week emphasizes the fact that CCSU needs to make major efforts to increase campus unity and school spirit. 

Although a major reason that students attend college is to get a strong higher education, there are other aspects of college life that are important to the students. This includes many social aspects such as attending sporting events and going to various events with other classmates.

Unfortunately, Spring Week demonstrated that students are not making much of an effort to socialize with fellow students, even when there are pre-planned events available to attend.

We believe that this situation could drastically change if CCSU became a wet campus. After looking at the spring week turnout of our fellow state school, UConn, which is a wet campus, it is apparent that alcohol consumption draws students. In fact, there was a large population of CCSU students who ditched their own spring week to take part in UConn’s festivities. 

It is understandable that the administration and those in charge of determining whether Central is a wet campus are concerned about the risks and dangers that occasionally come with drinking. But this is almost a naive belief that if alcohol is outlawed on campus, kids will stop drinking. Prohibition certainly showed us that alcohol is an undeniable part of life, especially with young adults. Students will drink regardless of the rules. But the difference is that if rules are in place to ban alcohol, students will be clandestine about obtaining it and drinking it. This creates even more of a safety concern because of the fact that students will not be upfront when they are in a crisis involving alcohol because they know that they face harsh repercussions from the school.

CCSU football games draw some of the biggest turnouts of all CCSU social events. Tailgating is permitted at football games, and this is the main reason that a lot of students show up to them. Again, this is a great example of how the presence of alcohol increases student’s interest in school related functions. 

Imagine if the Spring Week concert was held at the football stadium and tailgating was permitted. Turnout would undeniably increase. Instead of going to a party or to UConn, students would be able to enjoy themselves on campus and enjoy time with their fellow students. 

It is not a secret that CCSU is bare on the weekends. Many students go home, and commuters rarely come back to campus to hang out. The entire atmosphere of CCSU could improve and student involvement in the campus would increase if CCSU became a wet campus.

Today college is not just about an education. Social life is a huge part of what draws and keeps students on campus. And students who feel comfortable and involved in their school will be more likely to participate in all kinds of extracurricular events. Students who want a place to drink will drink. We might as well allow it on campus in order to promote school unity and bring more student involvement onto the campus.