As part of the new Task Force, SMU wanted to recreate various locations around campus as the new “it” spot to hang out. It started at Hughes Trigg with the extended hours of Java City and Pizza Hut, trickled into the business school with the opening of Einstein Bagels and ended with the new late-night hours of the Dedman Center of Lifetime Sports.

These are all great additions to our already amazing campus, but we have a few more suggestions to make each student’s time spent on campus more enjoyable.

For starters, we live in a gorgeous city that provides us with relatively warm weather year-round. The Varsity is nice for those rainy and windy days, but more seating outside would encourage students to venture out of Fondren Library to take a break in the fresh air. Yes, there is seating outside Hughes Trigg, but trying to move those chairs almost isn’t worth the effort. The tables are great, but some more maneuverable chairs would definitely make this a more student-friendly place.

For those students who live on campus, offering them a place to enjoy their meals from RFoC outside would definitely increase attendance. Students are always seen snacking on their way to class or enjoying lunch along the Boulevard. Why not offer some outside seating on that patio in Umphrey Lee? Go to any restaurant and you see people requesting to sit outside. Giving students this option would definitely improve the overall dining experience on the Hilltop.

When darkness falls, everyone knows the campus becomes deserted. Sure, there are intramural games till 11 p.m., but what about students who want to play a late night game of Frisbee or flag football? If our campus wants to increase student activity, they should keep the intramural fields open until at least midnight, and maybe even install some lights along the boulevard for students who choose to congregate there during the evening. If students can participate in all these indoor sports at Dedman, it’s only fair that outdoor soccer and other sports be offered on the intramural field.

We have one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. Students should be able to enjoy it at all times of the day whether they choose to hang out with their friends or study inside or outside. There is even Sorority Park just up the street from on-campus living. Offering a large enough playing field for any athletic event and a baseball field, we would think SMU would be doing more to encourage student activity at this park.

We’ve seen what a success football days on the Boulevard are like, why can’t we make our campus this active throughout the entire week?