By Wendy-Akua Adjei, The Whetstone

 

It’s Tuesday night, 6 p.m., and there’s not a student in sight.

The Underground in the basement of the College Center is empty.

“I go once in a blue moon,” junior Emari Evans said. “I do not go often because there isn’t anything to do. I would like to see more games down there.”

Some students say there is nothing to do in the Underground, while others like to go down there is chill and do their homework.

The Underground has two pool tables, a Ping-Pong table, an air hockey table, a foosballs table, chairs, couches and four televisions.

Each year, the college buys new video games – some requested by students – and new pool sticks, said Mark Berry, the director of campus life. The college also has twice replaced the felt on the pool tables over the past few years.

Berry also said the college recently bought a new Ping-Pong table for the Underground.

“I think the Underground needs to be aesthetically pleasing,” he said, comparing the plaza to the Underground. “I don’t think the Underground’s aesthetic is conducive to the culture and the environment on campus.”

Berry said students can request things that they would like to see in the Underground.

There are several events and parties held in the Underground.

“Mark does pool tournaments, and Ping-Pong tournaments,” said junior Kaelynn Lang, an Underground employee. “Maybe we should have more of those. I know we used to have Mixxi Monday and Thirsty Thursdays down here.”

Mixxi Mondays were events involving music and dancing. Thirsty Thursdays was similar, except Latoya Anderson, the alcohol and other drug education coordinator, would appear in drunk goggles and marijuana goggles to show people how it feels to be under the influence of these substances.

“The more events we have down here, the more people notice it more,” Lang said.

Junior Malia Smith said she goes to the Underground at least once a week.

“It depends if there is an event,” she said.

Senior Rex Chege goes to the Underground three times a week.

“I feel the Underground has enough to keep the on-campus students entertained and the commuters a place to congregate to get work done and hang out.”