Sure, you go to class. Sometimes. But what about the rest of
your education?
Do you aspire to see celebrities or world leaders? Both are
common on campus, but do you ever seek out the latter?
It’s a new year, and many students are already caught in
the endless routine of classes, homework and parties. And while you
often feel the urge to get out of Westwood and “see Los
Angeles,” there are a wealth of exciting events taking place
every day on campus that often go unseen.
You can drink yourself silly at some random party Saturday
night, or you can see a world-class performer at Royce Hall.
Students who were here last year will remember some of the
highlights:
N*gger Wetb*ck Ch*nk, a play created by and starring UCLA
alumni, was on stage by the dorms and admission was free with your
BruinCard. Now it’s playing in Downtown Los Angeles for $20 a
seat and selling out.
The Shakespeare Globe Theatre performed “Twelfth
Night” last year and “Othello” is coming in a few
weeks.
Sophia Coppola did a Q&A session in Melnitz Hall after a
screening of her film, “Lost in Translation.”
Speeches by Michael Moore, Howard Dean, Chancellor Albert
Carnesale and others abounded for students interested in politics
and national security.
Those who wanted to really explore political topics could also
take classes with Al Gore, Michael Dukakis and former Secretary of
State Warren Christopher. This year, the opportunities are equally
exciting.
You don’t need a car, a date or even $20. Plus,
there’s no chance of painful hangover or awkwardness the next
morning.
For example, on Oct. 5 Alexander Payne will do a Q&A at
Melnitz Hall after screening his new movie,
“Sideways.”
On Oct. 12, Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader is
scheduled to give a speech in Meyerhoff Park.
On Oct. 13, Caetano Veloso, a Brazilian singer called “one
of the greatest songwriters of the century,” will give his
Los Angeles premiere in Royce Hall.
On Oct. 15, Princeton economist and New York Times columnist
Paul Krugman will give his views on how America can get back on
track after years of political and economic missteps.
The list goes on. But will anyone come?
Your very own classmates are writing, directing and performing
in original plays and putting together brilliant art exhibits.
Going to any of them?
Think about it: If UCLA were a small liberal arts school in the
middle of nowhere, you’d probably attend many more campus
events. Pretend we’re not in Los Angeles and you’ll
discover a culturally vibrant small city nestled between Hilgard
and Gayley.
UCLA is an attractive destination for politicians, artists,
scientists, etc. So why aren’t their events attracting
students at standing-room only capacity?
Many of the big events do fill up fast, but even little-known
personalities can be spectacular to see in person. Anyone ““
no matter how busy ““ can hear about these events with plenty
of time to plan and get tickets. They’re often cheaper than
dinner and a movie.
Whether you are interested in the performing arts, politics,
economics or anything else, there is an entire syllabi of events
outside of the classroom. Many will inspire you intellectually,
while others will simply be fun. But all are a smarter alternative
to beer pong.