Tag Archives: Off-Campus

student life

Popular Places to Spend Time Off Campus

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By: Claudia Puente, Staff Writer

It is common to find Wingate University students taking  road trips outside of Union county. From the beaches to the mountains, North Carolina is home to endless activities all seasons. 

One of senior Luis Aguilar’s favorite spots to catch a new film is at a traditional drive-in movie in King’s Mountain, only an hour and 15 minutes away from campus. Hound’s Drive-in provides the audience with a unique viewing experience from the comfort of their car, all with a wide variety of movie snacks in the concession stands.

“The drive-in is a refreshing way to watch a movie compared to sitting quietly in a theater, I love being able to come with friends and sit in lawn chairs in front of my car or tailgate in the back.”

Asheville is another favorite spot of many students for a day trip. The historic city, which is only a two hour drive away, houses many activities such as touring the Biltmore Estate, hiking the blue ridge parkway, or even just enjoying brunch in one of the small surrounding towns.

Sophomore Yami Peral says “I never get tired of going to Asheville because there is always so much to explore, it’s a beautiful city to experience a wide variety of culture and art no matter what you do.”

Thrill-seeking students often find themselves at the GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville, an hour away from Union County. This outdoor karting facility reaches speeds up to 55 mph on an 11-turn track.

Junior Maria Perez says, “It’s an adrenaline rush to race against friends on a track that has sharp turns, I’m not a good driver and constantly spinning off track but it never gets boring.”

Topgolf, the popular driving range provides students with a high-tech experience. This sports entertainment complex gives a spin on traditional golf that players of all levels can enjoy. Sophomore Shawn Simmons exclaims “I never played golf until I came here and yet I still have a good time, especially because the food is so good. It’s such a go-to hangout spot with friends.”

This venue is most popular in the evening and even hosts special events such as “College Night” on Wednesdays after 7 p.m. for only $15. Topgolf is located only 45 minutes from the University and provides the guests with innovative technology that tracks the golf ball and the target it enters.

Not just a favorite of Wingate students, but a Carolina favorite is the amusement park, Carowinds. Located adjacent to the Interstate 77, Carowinds is lively throughout all seasons. Every October the park is transformed into Scarowinds with haunted attractions and over 500 monsters roaming the park.

Sophomore Jordan Locke says, “I’ve been to Scarowinds so many times and yet the mazes never fail to scare me, it’s also fun to watch my friends get scared easily.”

Wingate University students can often be found adventuring off-campus to popular spots outside of Union County. Whether it is catching a movie at the drive-in, learning how to golf at the driving range, or even walking the haunted mazes of Scarowinds, the Carolinas are home to endless activities that students love to explore.

Edited By: Rachael Robinson

Wingate University

Commuting: What’s the Point?

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Commuting vs. Staying On Campus: Does it alter your college experience?

Danny Stueber, Staff Writer

 

Commuting can be a hard decision to make when choosing a college or university. Some chose to save money especially if you live close to your college of choice. You can commute every day instead of living on campus itself. It is a popular option among the young adults that go to college and one that I as a student at Wingate have enjoyed doing as well instead of paying for a dorm, even though Wingate is a quick 20 minutes from my house.

Every morning I wake up around an hour before I have to leave, shower, eat, and get on the road to get to class. I arrive in one of many parking areas and walk to my destination. My commute is a much different experience compared to a student from another college however.

I sat down and talked to Patrick Foray, a sophomore at the University of Charlotte (UNC) about how his daily life differs from one of a student that attends Wingate.

Patrick, tell me what a normal commute is like for you when you start your day.

“Well, I live about 40 minutes from my campus so if I have a class at 11 I have to wake up at like 9 so I can get on the road at 10 in case of traffic. I take the highway for the quickest route as well. Once I arrive at campus, I have to park in a parking garage because that’s where I paid to park.”

Oh, you have to pay for parking?

“Yeah it’s a couple hundred a year it’s not free like Wingate and we can’t park wherever we want. Sucks if you think about it.”

So you have to pay to park and its 2 hours of prep time to get to class every day. Why commute?

“Its really not a bad drive and close enough that I would not want to waste money on a dorm that I do not have when I can just live at home.”

Any reason you would need to stay at campus after classes? Do you miss out on anything as a result?

“I have band every so often but other wise I hang with friends if I want before heading home. Nothing really happens on campus that would keep me here that isn’t school or band related. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything from my college experience and the saved money is a bonus to me.”

So you don’t have anything like Lyceums, that I do at Wingate?

“Nope thank God since those seem like they suck. I would not want something holding me back like that but because you live closer than I do it would not be as bad I guess.”

Thanks for your time Patrick.

“No problem thanks for interviewing me.”

So two different students getting to school the same way can actually vary a lot whether it is money or the overall college experience. As many variances there are though there is also similarities. Choose whatever works for you seems to be the main point here and there is no wrong way to experience your college years.

Edited by: Sara Gunter