USCB offers a different feel to on-campus living

Editor's note: This article ran previously

in the Bluffton Packet.

Chelsia Rae Hopkins is from Savannah, but when she decided to attend college at University of South Carolina Beaufort, she wanted to live on campus. She sought that true college experience, the type of life that only happens on a campus filled with students your own age.

But at USCB, campus life is a bit

different.

The Palmetto Village residence halls are home for about one-fifth of USCB students. Students live in suite-style apartments, not old dorms. They have full kitchens because the campus doesn't have a dining hall. The student lounge has pool and foosball tables. A sand volleyball court and grills are outside. But there's no student union or gym on campus.

The Okatie campus is off U.S. 278, where development has only begun to creep. That means quiet surroundings, but at the same time, no restaurants or bars within

walking distance.

USCB students are at the beginning of something that most other college students don't experience. They're part of an emerging university. The south of the Broad River campus first started holding classes four years ago. Palmetto Village opened in

August 2005, but its population has more than doubled within the past two years, meaning the student

population on campus still is seeking an identity.

USCB enrollment numbers show that most students are commuters -- nearly 85 percent are from Beaufort County. But about half of Palmetto Village's 300 residents are from out of state.

For the first time, a waiting list

existed for Palmetto Village before this school year. Students say they live on campus for a multitude of reasons -- reasonable rent compared to off-campus (about $600 a month including utilities, cable and Internet), proximity to classes, and the fact that they get a room with a full kitchen and a washer/dryer.

But once they unpack, find their classes, figure out which roommates will do the dishes and which won't, another realization hits -- they're in the middle of nowhere.

"The most common complaint I get is that there's nothing to do," said student body president Lindsey Simmons.

WHAT'S A STUDENT TO DO?

Palmetto Village consists of four three-story buildings tucked behind the library on campus. Each suite has four furnished bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Outside Palmetto Village, social hangouts are rare. The Hawk's Nest is a small four-table cafe in the library that serves coffee and sandwiches, but it isn't open after-hours. Trips to a restaurant or bar almost always involve a car ride. Even ordering pizza is a challenge -- only one place delivers on campus.

Berkeley Place has been a godsend since it opened three years ago, said Alex Sanchez, a former Palmetto Village resident assistant who now is the student government vice president.

Sea Turtle Cinemas and a multitude of restaurants in Berkeley Place are only about five minutes from campus, making it the biggest source of entertainment nearby.

Sophomore Andrew O'Loughlin said he usually heads with friends to Coligny Plaza and the beach to hang out on an off day.

He might go fishing on Pinckney Island or in Sea Pines or go play golf. He's also helping to organize a school lacrosse team. He decided to live on campus because of the low rent and proximity to his classes.

Once he arrived, he found out that he either knew or recognized most of the people he'd see each day -- a contrast to his high school in

Pennsylvania.

"You'd see people at graduation and say, 'Hey, I didn't know they went here,' " he said. "It's not like that here. I feel like I know everyone."

CREATING A COMMUNITY

Six resident assistants live in Palmetto Village. RAs are students who serve as points of contact for residents and also enforce hall rules. Part of their job is organizing programs, anything from video game tournaments to scrapbooking. Any programs with food usually bring out a healthy amount of students, RA Kacie Gongas said.

Tuesday nights there are movies in the Palmetto Village courtyard. Bands and comedians are brought in to perform on campus. Last Thursday was the Festival, where students came in costume and had cereal-eating contests.

"The opportunity exists for students to get involved, so it's not just a school but a community," director of student life Kate Torborg said.

Because half of residents are in state, it's just a quick trip to hang out with high school buddies or eat a home-cooked meal. Absences on the weekends lead to a deflation of that community spirit.

But what could help keep students around and help grow that sense of community?

Student leaders and administrators agree that a student union and other staples of a modern college campus are part of getting students excited about campus life.

Adding a student center is high on the university's list of priorities, said USCB spokeswoman Deborah Reynolds.

Administrators are looking for a place with dining options and possibly other recreation, something that could serve as a "heartbeat of campus," she said.

Administrators can't give specific dates as to when construction might begin, she said.

FINDING THE EXPERIENCE

When Hopkins first arrived on campus she faced the same dilemma many freshmen have. She was homesick. She didn't think she would be at first -- home was only 40 minutes away. She figured she would be fine during the day, when she was immersed in a lecture. But once classes were done and homework was complete, she'd find herself with little to do except get lonely for the comfort of family.

She started immersing herself on campus, seeking that college experience. She helped start a Spanish club and signed up for other camped activities. She started to meet new people and slowly, USCB started to feel like home, too.

She's now a sophomore majoring in Spanish and is an RA in Palmetto Village. She still goes home often on weekends, but now it isn't so hard to come back.

"Living on campus is something that every student should experience," she said. "It's part of the whole college

experience. There is no other

community like this one."