Things I Never Knew about Oakton
Cheryl Hagedorn

Ever wonder how people know what they know? I've decided that I know next to nothing about OCC - at all. The other day I was in the Student Activities office trying to find a venue for an "Open Mic with Guest Poet" co-sponsored by Grub Street (the OCC literary magazine) and the Black Student Union.

Now, because I am an obedient student leader and an orientation by Loretta LaVere (Student Activities) is required for at least the treasurer (me, Grub Street) and the president of each clubs, I know that Terri Quam (Info Desk) is the person to see. I started there. She suggested that Grub Street reserve the Student Center. That's when the Trouble with a capital T began and my ignorance came to the fore.

"We have a Student Center? Where?" I asked timidly. "In the cafeteria area, back by the Game Room." "Okay, thanks." I wandered off in the direction of the cafeteria - that I knew I could find. Student Center? Big blank. I got to the cafeteria and looked around. The Video Gamers were doing something against a wall. Sure enough, just to the left of said wall, I saw a door to what might be a game room. All right, I'm warm, getting closer. Where's the Student Center?

When in doubt, ask questions. I took myself into the Student Activities Office and said, "Where's the Student Center?" They looked at me kind of funny and said, "Out there," pointing past my shoulder. Finally, Krissie Harris (Student Activities) took pity on me and walked me out to the open space where the gamers were and said, "This is it." Then she explained that the big white planters move, the couches under the windows can be moved, etc. and that Terri was right - they could make it look like a coffeehouse complete with a stage for the poet.

Trouble over? Not exactly (this is starting to feel like a Hertz commercial). I go to the Leadership training and games event the next night. One of the activities is called Swap Shop where people from other clubs help each other plan events. Since I had a "real" need, the nice people at my table agreed to help me plan Grub Street's "Open Mic and Guest Poet" event. We were moving down the checklist of contracts, refreshments, and publicity quite efficiently I thought. Then the Student Center bit me again! I said, "Well, I talked with Terri and with Krissie and we've decided to hold the reading in the Student Center." Katie Holland (BSA treasurer) and Eric Smith (Ultimate Frisbee) said, "No, you don't want to do that. It will be too noisy. You want the Black Box." Black Box?!! I swear they spent the next 10 minutes trying to explain to me where the Black Box was (down the hall to parking lot A - where I park - near the sculpture that hangs over the railing). "No, not the Performing Arts theater."

Today I went and talked to Ann Marie Barry (Director of Student Activities) who explained to me how the Black Box Theatre is reserved for really special sorts of things. Which is probably why the student wo-mannning the Info Desk had no idea what I was talking about. Ann Marie then walked me out into the same area Krissie had shown me and explained the facts of life. I ended up reserving the Student Center.

Am I the only student who pulls into the parking lot, walks to class, sits in class, walks out to my car and leaves? Until we had the leadership event, I didn't know that the 1600 rooms were a whole wing unto themselves! Which really makes me wonder - what else don't I know about Oakton?

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