Wednesday, march 7, 1979
daily nebroskan
pagoB
Student jffld$ French campus bleak
Long before I finalized plan! to come to Bordeaux, I
was warned that Frenchcampus life Is not at all similar to
the animation typical of American universities. . . ,
One glance at the expansive University of Bordeaux
campus confirms these premonitions. In fact, it touched
Upon an even more profound question-is there life on
campus?
The Bordeaux campus Is located in a remote suburb
that 15 years previously was a wooded area. It's a big cam
,pus: about the size of three UNL city campuses laid side
by side, Long, low, gray classroom buildings, six arch
tecturally similar residence complexes and lots of wide
open spaces fill the campus. The overall effect is incred
ibly drab , boring and lifeless. ,
My daily trek from the dorm to classes, although only
a seven-minute walk, is so lackluster that I've taken to
riding my bicycle to break the boredom
No landscaping
Obviously, landscaping is not included in French
university planning. The campus is functional, in that
you do get from one place to another, but the going has
never been so dull.
Plush green lawns, carefully-tended flower beds and big
shade trees are distinctly lacking from this campus. There
Is no area that lends itself well to informal class
gatherings. Of course, there could be a reason, for this,
as it rains almost constantly in Bordeaux.
Given these rather stark conditions, it's understandable
that the outward appearance of the campus evokes no
image of animation. But trying to find interior animation
can often be just as futile.
No place to gather
There is no student union, no bar, no downtown cen
ter where students can congregate. Bordeaux alumni, who
knew the university When it was located in center city, la
ment the fact that there, are not even any cafes near the
present campus. Cafes for the former university site were
what the Hole, Horsefeathers and the Rail are to UNL.
. Students seeking entertainment at night are almost
obliged to go into the city, which requires either a car or
relying on the insufficient bus system. No buses leave the
campus after 8:30 pjn and the return trip from the
city to campus must be made by 8:15 p. m. or a wait for
the midnight bus is mandatory .
The dorms themselves' are not well suited to socializ
ing, The rooms, all singles (well, theoretically )j are void of
the memo boards and other paraphernalia that decorate
dorm rooms in the States. There, are ho floor lounges, no
snack bars, and only one of the six residence halls has
vending machines. Each dorm has a communal TV room
and my dorm is blessed with the convenience of a kit
chenette on each floor. The kitchenette has proven to be
one of the best congregating spots for large groups, al
though there are no tables or chairs whatsoever.
Dorm rooms, social centers
Therefore, most of the socializing, partying, and con
versations take place in the individual rooms. This works
well up to a certain point, then conditions get a little
crowded.. But students have learned that if they move
their bed, desk and chairs fotd the bathroom, they have a
lot more space for big dinners find dancing. '
Although there are not many Conditions conducive to
a lively tampui life, If ybtl know where to look you can
find It. - : '
There are frequent "bourns' on campus, which is the
French word for a big dance in a crowded, Smoky room
where an anting amount of American longs are played.
Disco is quite the rage over here, although I've yet to
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see John Travolta look-alikes.
Bi-weekly cinema clubs bring a varied selection of
films Jo campus, and at prices that students can afford.
Very often,' these films are followed by a debate among
audience members? .
"Coffee times" lively - .
The best animation is that created by the individual.
A rather regularly-observed custom is to invite friends
over to your room for coffee after the evening meal.
These coffee times often stretch on for hours once the
conversation gets rolling, precluding any hopes of evening
studying.
Finding my evenings easily filled by socializing when I
first arrived at Bordeaux, I realized the wisdom of a
friend's advice. He had told me that American students
often have to adjust their study habits at Bordeaux, as
the daytime was made for studying and the evenings tor
relaxation and partying. Considering no libraries are open
at night and everyone is basically "stuck" on Campus, the
best solution does seem to be seek -or-create-animat ion.
To Find A Roommate
Or Simply
Say HI .
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