When I came to ETSU in the fall of 2017, I was lucky enough to live my freshman year with the conveniences and benefits of the Culp Center pre-construction. Back then, it was easy to grab a meal with friends in the food court area. If I was tired of the Marketplace, I could easily walk down a level and have other dining options available. Getting a coffee and sitting in the Cave or on the patio was an easy way to hang out or de-stress between classes.
With the closing of the Culp, the convenience and sense of unity among students has dwindled dramatically. All the dining options and places to sit inside are scattered around campus, and, as a result, the students have scattered instead of gathering closer together like they did before. I am genuinely excited for the reopening of the Culp, and I hope that sense of unity I loved my first year will return to the campus soon after it is open again.
Though not everything is going to be reopened right away, there are still lots of things to look forward to soon after the reopening. The Culp is scheduled to reopen on Feb. 24, and there will be a series of celebration events from March 1-6 for students to enjoy as part of the official opening. I think the week of celebration is the perfect way to kickstart the reopening and bring students and faculty back together again.
There are an array of events planned for the week. ETSU Admissions Ambassadors will be giving tours of the new floor plan every morning and afternoon of the week. There will be several concerts, a game night with board and video games, free movie showings, a talent show, giveaways and more. Plus Starbucks, Chick-fil-A and Steak ‘n Shake will open in the new student center.
I think ETSU did a great job planning events that students and faculty could enjoy, and it’s going to be a fun way to get newer students who have never experienced the previous Culp acclimated to a new space. After a few weeks, I hope the sense of unity we had pre-construction will return to the campus upon the Culp’s reopening.
