COLUMN: Online students should have Internet Homecoming activities
If the pioneers wanted to go shopping, they had to go to the general store.
If they wanted to date, they had to go to social gatherings.
If they wanted to play Sponge Bob pinball, they had to invent the character Sponge Bob, invent a pinball machine, harness electricity and … o.k., they just couldn’t.
The point I’m trying to get across is that all these things are activities we can now do within the comfort of our own home. How?
The internet, of course. “Sponge Bob pinball?” you ask. Certainly, just check out his Web site.
Shopping, dating and games aren’t the only revolutionary things the Internet offers – and Utah State University can attest to that. Among our online selections are online quizzes, readings, notes, assignments, and – in fact – even online classes.
I haven’t personally taken advantage of the online class option as of yet. I have a tough enough time paying attention with the professor right in front of me, let alone a computer screen with Sponge Bob pinball only a few clicks away.
Still, I think it’s a great idea. Because of this program, we can have students from Vernal to Sanpete County sending us tuition money without even setting foot on campus.
As much as I appreciate their money, it is unfortunate that they cannot participate in any of the student activities. Bearing that in mind, as long as these students are taking online classes, I can see no reason why we shouldn’t provide them with online student activity options as well.
In the spirit of this online overhaul, what better way to kick it off than with Homecoming Week activities.
How can we possibly offer the equivalent of Homecoming activities online? To offer an example of what can be done, I’ve taken two activities and transformed them to be on line friendly.
First, an online homecoming dance. For this, the USU Web site would have a link that connects it to the homecoming dance, where it would immediately start streaming out some sappy music and you would find yourself joined by other on line partners. Much like the real dance, you could ask someone to dance, reject someone asking you to dance or go stand by the virtual punch bowl, all depending on what you would actually do in real life.
Second: an online Homecoming football game.
This link would give you ongoing updates of the game, like many sports Web sites already have, but it could also keep track of the current cheers by the cheerleaders and you could type in a cheer to go along with them. You could also type in heckling remarks to the referee after a bad call, receive updates on marching band formations and have a Big Blue tracking device.
Big Blue could also have a wireless computer to participate with the online activities, but since he doesn’t talk I suppose he would simply be limited to those smiley faces and wink symbols.
Obviously, I’ve just breached the tip of the iceberg with these two online possibilities. With any luck, we will soon be able to spend the rest of our lives in our homes and only experience real life either virtually or through reality TV shows.
To make sure we get started on the right foot, however, anyone who is reading an actual printed Statesman needs to set it down immediately and access the nearest computer for the online version. Do not, I repeat, do not, get distracted by any and all Sponge Bob pinball games.
Marty Reeder is a senior majoring in history education. Please don’t contact him personally, only online at martr@cc.usu.edu