Resurrecting a Living Campus

As December’s last fleeting birds sing the closer to an unavoidable end of a quiet semester on campus, some use this time to look forward into what next year’s bloom will bring, while others gaze longingly at the past with bittersweet hearts. It seems to be universally understood that this time is stagnate and one for endings, but there are other ways to spend the winter months that can melt both of these perspectives into one that prepares a sparkling spring semester for student life.

​

By resurrecting traditions and inspiration from the past and melding it with what appears to be a greater desire for a vibrant community for both resident and commuter students, plans for post-break adventures or extravaganzas can be developed.

 

It is imperative that this planning begins as soon as possible, not only to guarantee its occurrence, but also to provide a lifeline for students in need as NMC enters its longest stall of the academic year. If you are looking for festivity inspiration that will garner campus attention, the most acclaimed and verified examples can be found right within NMC’s own foundation.

​

The NMC Barbecue was one of the largest and oldest annual events in Northern Michigan, bringing 4,000 people together in 2019. The tradition was laid to rest in 2020, but it funded and assisted in funding multiple projects across campus, including scholarships, the Great Lakes Campus Redevelopment, the University Center, and updated technology for Lobdell’s.

​

At the very least, the decades-old picnic is remembered as proof that food and sunshine will bring the right people together. Sometimes, the best gathering is one that is bittersweet. With current young students having missed out on high school milestones such as prom and homecoming, I can think of no better way to attract the entire community than a campus dance or party. It is important to note the involvement of those who live on and off campus as well as students and employees for such an event.

​

As you tie up the ends to your first, second, third, or fourth fall semester, let this break be a rejuvenating time that makes you thrilled for what spring could bring. If you are not excited, create something to be excited about! Get involved with your Hall Council or Student Government Association, find like-minded people, and you’ll

find that there are other people just as interested in resurrecting a vibrant community. You are not alone.