As morning classes end, masses of students rouse the lingering dew as some begin to hasten to their next class, while the majority of others convene in the diversity hot spot of LSU: The Quad.
“My freshman year I was told to sit in The Quad if I wanted to see what LSU is all truly about,” said senior Joe Barksdale.
Droves gather into their assorted niches, each characterized by distinct personalities, fashion choices, attitudes and extracurricular activities.
In accordance with being athletically classified as a Division I school, it is no surprise that the athletes who walk the campus are in tip top shape and claim their territory in the center of The Quad. Sporting backpacks that denote a championship win and wearing the iconic attire consisting mostly of purple, white, grey, gold or a combination of the four, the athletes cannot be missed in the heart of The Quad.
Seated beneath the shade of the nearest tree in the hub of The Quad, sophomore football star Russell Shepard said, “We are already up early and we have to go to class so there is no point in going home, so we wait it out here until it’s time to go to class.”
From sponsoring and running community outreach events to continuing a legacy of historical background, various Greek involved individuals can be spotted between Himes Hall and Coates Hall which is parallel to the athletic core. The latest fashion trends can be spotted in this area. The signature dog barks of the Que’s originate in this area and a similar sound is returned from numerous corners and entrances of the courtyard.
Before entering into The Quad, junior Avery Riley, decked out in classic Que attire consisting of a Que t-shirt and gold worn in combat boots, expressed, “We bark when we see each other to make our presence known.”
Congregated along the entrance to the square in front of Allen Hall are the non-conformists. Nontraditional clothing, unique footwear, quirky accessories, and endless witty T-shirt designs can be seen amid this eccentric troupe. The eclectic students that make up this group are each extremely different from one another in regards to preference of music, choice in electronic games and selection of anticipated major.
While comfortably seated on the pavement amongst the unconventional party and looking up behind her sunglasses, senior Liz Ecker explained, “We are an extended family that marries into each other.”
Immediately upon exiting the Middleton Library, a cloud full of smoke fills the lungs from the familiar smokers. The “smokers,” cannot be characterized by dress or any other outstanding characteristic, but simply by their habit of smoking.
Slightly reclined amongst the company of friends while holding his cigarette away, sophomore Saud Alotibi said, “I study in the library therefore I come out for smoke breaks, and also the view is nice here.”
Finally, the remaining populace of the public site consists of people watchers. Few will admit it, but the majority of the “others” lounging in The Quad are obtaining their daily fill of who wore what, who tripped where, or the other random occurrences that happen each day in the university communal.
“One out of every 5 people who come through, trip over the raised parts and cracks in the sidewalk,” freshman Rachel Jackson chuckled, “It makes me watch where I’m walking.”
All of these polar opposite groups attend the flagship institution and clearly exemplify that there is no black and white definition of a typical LSU student due to the immeasurable amount of ethnicities, religious and spiritual beliefs, fashion choices, personalities, nationalities, political preferences, and economic backgrounds.
Links:
http://www.lsu.edu/faculty_staff/diversity.shtml
http://appl027.lsu.edu/acadaff/edcoweb.nsf/index
http://appl027.lsu.edu/chan/ombudsweb.nsf/index
Sources:
LSU students
http://appl027.lsu.edu/acadaff/edcoweb.nsf/index
http://www.lsu.edu/faculty_staff/diversity.shtml