Take a look around any crowded area of campus like the dining commons, the student center or Appian Way. What you will see is a variety of different people. College is an interesting place because students are exposed to people from all backgrounds. One component of our lives that really gives us a sense of identity is what we’re involved with and what our hobbies are. Students on this campus are commonly involved with athletics.
As Americans, sports are incorporated into our lives typically early on. We participate in youth leagues and from there sports become a monumental part of our lives. The Equinox does not wish to look down on athletic involvements, but we do want students to explore the many other clubs and activities available on campus.
The Keene State College campus has a diverse range of talents, and more artistic involvements are crucial to consider. According to the Theatre and Dance Department at Keene State College, “The Theatre and Dance Department offers you a wide range of creative possibilities including working on original work, performing in musical theatre, designing productions, performing and choreographing dance and even more.”
Photo Illustration by Jake Coughlin / Administrative Executive Editor
Despite this wide array of opportunities in the arts, we find that many of these performances are under-attended compared to athletic events. Students crowd the bleachers at athletic events, especially men’s games. The Equinox would like to challenge this notion that sports precede the arts.
It’s important to note the hard work and effort that goes into a theatrical performance, the choreography of a dance and the training of musical performances, among other artistic endeavors.
Oftentimes students attend these types of events only because they receive some sort of class credit for going, not because they are truly interested in being there. We would argue that if you give these events a chance, you might be surprised by how interested you become. It’s crucial that we widen our horizons in terms of our interests. If we limit ourselves to sports, we will never fully understand what else goes on at our school.
Students pour so much of themselves into their involvements. Whether it be academic, artistic, athletic, etc., It’s important that we weight all of these out evenly. Oftentimes students have a hard time separating what’s considered by the mainstream to be cool versus what’s more “alternatively” cool. There is a negative connotation around more artistic endeavors because they aren’t typically seen as “cool.” We want to try to reverse the idea that going to plays or musical performances are lame. We recognize that for some students, this is very meaningful and in fact something they are very much invested in.
For some students, this is what they wish to pursue in life. The Equinox believes that the Keene State College campus as a whole is a very talented group of individuals with a multitude of gifts. We believe that if we all support each other in our endeavors we will as a result become more successful in what we do and eventually be happier with who we are.
So next time you see a flyer posted in the student center about an upcoming play or a musical performance by Chock Full O’ Notes Acapella group, consider checking it out. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy it. The same holds true for students who tend to cling to the arts. If you’ve never checked out a field hockey game, make your way down to the field and see what our athletes have to offer. Essentially we want to encourage students to expose themselves to events that may deviate from their normal interests. The more you try and the more you expose yourself to new things, the more you will discover about yourself.
