So you're probably wondering by now exactly what a bunch of college kids do for fun in Searcy, Arkansas. Hmmm...that's a really good question actually. The short answer is probably that we have to get very VERY creative in order to come up with fun stuff to do. Oh yeah, and did I mention that it doesn't involve getting drunk every weekend like most other college kids.
Ok, so it's not quite like the show "The Simple Life" although that definitely was shot in Arkansas. But seriously Searcy is a booming town of over 20,000 people...in one place! Can you believe it? There are tons of things to do like: go to Wal-Mart, catch a movie, go bowling, and go to Wal-Mart. Yeah so, back to the whole creative thing. That's why Harding students have to come up with stuff like the "Mabee Challenge" and random social club functions.
Luckily, students can find some refuge in nearby Little Rock, AR and Memphis, TN. Nearly every weekend, I find myself driving to Little Rock to find something to do...and I know one of these days I'm going to succeed. The good news is that there are multiple restaurants to choose from in Little Rock, the bad news is that it is still Arkansas. Therefore Melissa and I try and make it to an Opera in Memphis a couple of time each semester.
It's a pretty sweet deal. We get all decked out in our finest attire, then head off to the "big city" for the evening to catch a little entertainment at "The Orpheum" (the opera house.) Beale street can get kinda crazy after hours, but its definitely worth it in order to truely grasp the great Marc Cohn's "Walking in Memphis."
Anyway, the point is Arkansas isn't that bad once you get used to it. But the key is to not get too used to it, and to leave after your stint at Harding is up. If not, you definitely run the risk of one day aspiring to the level of being considered a " local." And in case you were wondering, that's not always a good thing. |
