Wesley Chandler IV

CMM 211

Prof. Miller

2/12/24

The Weekend Struggle at the University of New England

The University of New England is known for its excellent academic offerings and attractive campus, offering students an enjoyable environment where they can further their education. On the other hand, a lot of students say that campus life is dead on the weekends, some even compare it to a ghost town.

Students’ weekend experiences have become more disappointing, and some are even thinking about switching to another University  with a more active social scene. Nathan Delgado, a sophomore football player, was one such student who offered his thoughts on the UNE weekend vibe.

“If it wasn’t for the sports teams, I don’t know if there would be any events to go around here,” Delgado said. Delgado’s reaction, when questioned about the party scene, confirmed the campus’s peaceful atmosphere. “This is the last thing from a party school. Sometimes people off-campus will throw a party, but other than that, people just get together in someone’s dorm.”

Delgado was not the only one to feel this way, Kendall Gallaugher a sophomore on the volleyball team at the University also expressed how she felt about the campus’s weekend life.  

“I mean there isn’t much to do around here on the weekends but that’s why you have to do your research before deciding which college you choose”, she replied. Gallaugher is from Chicago so there is no option of going home. “The dorm parties are bad if you know people but outside of that there are not really any parties going on in Biddeford, Maine in my opinion”.

The students’ opinions might not be too distant from reality, based on an examination of UNE’s activity list. Even though the university hosts a few activities, few of them manage to grab the students’ interest. This brings up an essential question,  how can UNE improve the weekend experience?

Receiving more direct feedback from students about the types of events they want to see on campus is one way the university can tackle this issue. To plan events that actually appeal to the campus community, UNE may use polls or student-led committees instead of depending on just ideas from teachers and staff who might not fully understand the current student interests. Another idea could be to see what other universities are doing that have a high campus life. Viewing ideas from  schools that students are ecstatic at could give the other advisors creative ideas.

The truth is that things have changed. Students today expect exciting, energetic events that they can talk about and await long after the weekend is over. UNE could alter its weekend culture and make the campus more alive and unique by paying attention to feedback from students and adding more engaging programming. Will the university try to make the change or continue to have students transfer or be more miserable each weekend.