Where am I? What? You’re telling me this isn’t the underworld? It’s just Cabrini? Then, why is it so dead? Despite a relatively inactive campus due to Cabrini’s closure, there’s a lot to love about this school,
For starters, I love how easily accessible the teachers are. Cabrini professors are always available if you need extra help, and to push you to be the best version of yourself. This help comes in unexpected ways, as just a simple interaction this past week turned into something so much more.
Last week, I was at The Grill and my creative writing teacher came up to me for a simple chat. This conversation led to us setting up a meeting, and after our meeting I was more confident about my work in the course. I left that interaction amazed with how personal and reliable she was, and she demonstrated how tight knit the community here at Cabrini is.
Despite the unfortunate loss of 250 students, Cabrini’s school spirit remains unchanged. I’m not sure what it is, but the people I’ve met at Cabrini so far have been optimistic and kind. I find it satisfying that I can walk out of Woodcrest, and see people that I know on their way to class, or people that I know talking to their friends, laughing and telling jokes.
I like how I can walk outside, smell, taste, and hear a community that is not shaped by the number of people they have, but rather a community that is shaped and cultivated by the people themselves. Unbeknownst to the students, they are what carries on Cabrini’s legacy.
Sadly, this campus can also feel desolate. On weekdays, the campus is active, due to people walking to their classes. Most of the time, people are not outside to interact with each other, but rather keep to themselves while completing schoolwork. Marrin Specht, a senior dual majoring in international business and marketing, told me about Cabrini’s clubs, claiming, “Once the Activities Fair starts, that’s where you’ll make a lot of your friends and find your niche; that’s where most of the social stuff happens.”
So, I’m here thinking, “Okay, maybe they’re right. Maybe, things will get better during the Activities Fair, and they’ll have a ton of clubs, there’s going to be a bunch of people there, and I’m gonna have a fun time overall.” Boy was I wrong.
Upon showing up to the fair with delight, it was swiftly brought down. There were practically no clubs! You had your basic Latinx, Jewish, LGBTQ+ alliance, math, science clubs, and student government.
Amidst this row of generic clubs, you had tables that didn’t have any clubs, and tables with the name of a club on it, but no one behind them.
This campus is boring. That’s the truth and a sad reality to come to terms with. I sincerely hope the reason for the lack of activity is because the school’s closing.
I’ve also noticed most of my fellow freshmen do not participate in community events. Teagan Kowalik, a freshman majoring in biochemistry, says, “A lot of events are really lame,” and “It sounds like something no one else wants to do, so why bother?”
Kowalik adds that she tries to go to community events around campus that sound interesting, but that has happened “maybe a total of five times.” She also said, “I know that some of the other freshmen don’t even know what’s going on half the time.”
The fact that first year students don’t know what’s going on around campus makes me wonder if Cabrini is doing a poor job at advertising.
I do wonder: what was Cabrini like a year prior? Was it bustling on the weekend? Were students roaming around the campus with their friends? This is aquestion that has itched my curiosity ever since the second week here.
Cabrini is a nice place. I do like it here. I feel as though I’m supposed to be here for a reason and that makes being here feel fun and fulfilling. However, the considerable lack of things to do, mixed with the dead campus, and likely poor advertising, makes the current freshman experience peculiar and disappointing at the same time.
