By Sarah Gorman | Contributor
I sit in the new LaRita R. Boren Campus Center as I write this.
It's even more crowded this evening than it was this time yesterday. I'm on one of the couches because all the tables are taken by groups of four to six working silently or discussing group projects.
Every few minutes people walk by with food. The Chick-fil-A logo is a common sight, as are plates of pizza, bowls of noodles and cups of coffee from the Jumping Bean. I can't go five minutes without hearing someone mention food.
In my time sitting here I've heard four people mention that they like the pizza and that they'll get it again. The last time I went down to the food area I heard three compliments to the workers about the food area in general-not to mention that every employee I have interacted with has been sweet, understanding and always wished me a good day.
As a student who has studied in her dorm room the whole year up until this point, I personally have fallen in love with the LaRita R. Boren Campus Center. The whole time it was being built, I admit I didn't have any apprehension for it at all. I was excited for a Chick-fil-A and that was about it.
Now that it's open, I've heard complaints about the chapel having fewer seats now, the food options being more limited than the Grille and the Jumping Bean having lost its coffee shop feel.
While I agree things have been lost, I feel as if so much more has been gained. The new chapel now sports a better lighting system than before and the backstage portions have been completely reworked for easier and more effective use. As for the Grille, while we lost grinders, we gained a Chick-fil-A Express and an area devoted entirely to pizza.
The large windows provide natural lighting. The Center feels incredibly open in comparison to the old Student Union, and the chairs are comfy. A coffee shop ambience pervades the Center as a whole, with cylindrical lights hanging from the ceiling, the tan, green and gray color scheme and the wooden additions throughout the building. When I walk in, I can instantly see the hard work, planning and funding that went into making the Center a reality for my use today, and the little complaints hardly seem relevant.
Right after the Center opened, my roommate and I traveled over to give it a shot and study for a few hours. I ended up not leaving until 1 a.m. It was the most productive I have been this whole year, and I have come back to the Center to work every night since. Everyone I have seen in the Center-which is a fair amount of people-seems to enjoy it immensely. I have talked to several juniors and seniors that have expressed disappointment that they didn't have the Center sooner.
Personally, I know this is where I'll be spending my nights for the rest of the school year and probably years to come.
