DePaul University is an active place during the school year thanks to the DePaul Activities Board (DAB). DAB strives to brighten campus life by hosting an array of events on both the Lincoln Park and Loop campuses. However, it is clear that both campuses celebrate school spirit quite differently.
Lincoln Park is beaming with campus life throughout the Student Center and quad, while the Loop campus consists of students rushing to the skyscrapers planted in the heart of Chicago. That does not leave much room for hopping college student life in the Loop campus, but a busy rush-hour professional environment more so. The “Rom Com” event, hosted by DAB Feb. 13, was a Loop campus-event meant for students to watch a romantic comedy film and eat complimentary cupcakes in spirit of Valentine’s Day.
DAB leaders took initiative in organizing this event – after all, the event coordinators had to have the event approved by the Eboard; reserve the rights for the ’90’s film featured “You’ve Got Mail”; and then pre-order about 40 cupcakes from “Chartwell’s” to be catered to the 11th floor of the DePaul Student Center.
Little mishaps, such as the cupcakes arriving “icing-less” compelled the coordinators to rush after the caterer to demand mounds of spreadable chocolate and vanilla frosting. After this was resolved, the DAB leaders were able to relax, sitting atop the DePaul Center lounge counter and enjoying their favorite flavor of cupcake.
The rest of the room held disengaged DePaul students, not watching the movie, but sitting at nearby desks with their eyes glued to their gadgets, working fiercely on papers and internship applications. ‘
One student sat in a green lounge seat, close to the cupcakes. He was facing away from the television screen staring deeply into his Android, with a set of Skull Candy headphones morphed around his ears. Students would nonchalantly stroll by the cupcakes taking quick glimpses and shyly disappearing.
Unlike the regimented Lincoln Park events where students who live nearby can easily travel, the turnout of this event, like many of the DAB events held at the Loop, was a laid-back, come-and-go atmosphere. “You can have a cupcake – they’re free,” Mandie Lederer, variety coordinator, told the confused, lingering student who had the “I wonder if those cupcakes are free” face.
Lederer, now a senior, has been on DAB since her sophomore year. She and her crew foster fun events nearly weekly on both the Lincoln Park and Loop campuses.
“Loop events are more difficult to put on because it’s mostly commuter students who are going in and out,” Lederer said. “It’s also harder to think of ideas for Loop events – but we can definitely be more creative with it.”
The overall turnout of the Rom Com event was sporadic to say the least – no one stayed to watch Tom Hanks, but students took advantage of the cupcakes, thankful to have a sweet fix before cramming for midterm exams.