In the dwindling hours of Thursday, it seems like there is a ticking time bomb that ignites, sparking an eruption of action throughout the dormitory halls.

Some students, however, may find Kent State a boring place on the weekends.

“Coming into Kent, I really thought I would be meeting new people and getting to know a lot of kids on my floor,” freshman exploratory major Angelina Fiorini said. “As the year went on, though, I saw that more people were just going home on the weekends, making it harder to become close with new people.”

This absence of residents, in addition to the lack of floor camaraderie, could be the cause of student boredom inside the dorms.

“A lot of people leave on Friday and Saturday, so I just end up sitting in the dorms for most of the night bored out of my mind,” freshman biology major Jasmine Harris said. She said without anyone else in the dorms, the interactivity level decreases.

Instead of leaving for the weekend, students can look for campus entertainment opportunities.

Kent State prides itself on the countless number of clubs, organizations and activities that can easily occupy the downtime of an uninvolved dorm resident.

“I would love to see more students seek out help to what they need,” said Brenda McKenzie, associate director of the Center of Student Involvement. “Any student who is need of guidance can come in (to CSI) and we will talk about what you have done before and what you are interested in.”

CSI is located on the second floor of the Student Center.

McKenzie is also involved with the CSI Facebook page, which lists upcoming events and links to Web sites for the different organizations around campus.

While students can participate in the many different organizations around campus, another way to become involved is through dormitory programs. These student-run gatherings often are based off ideas from either the resident assistants or even the residents themselves.

“One of the biggest challenges is helping the students adjust to life on their own,” said Jackie Haramis, Eastway residence hall director. “We set up interactive programs that are more fun rather than educational.”

These programs can provide a perfect place to hang out with current or prospective friends.

Freshman physics major Chris Mallory relishes the programs set up in Eastway, saying they “were a great way to get involved and gain connections.”

Mallory said he hardly ever attended anything during his first semester but would advise anyone seeking opportunity to just go out and try it.

“There is a lot going on here, it’s up to the student to go and seek out,” Mallory said.

Contact features correspondent Mark Wayner

at [email protected].