Bridgewater State University is full of experiences, some that you should expect from any college, and some that you may only ever come across on our campus. The following is a list of things that a good majority of our student body has experienced or will experience at some point while on campus.
1. You have no idea how to correctly open the Conant Math and Science building doors.
Walking in and out of the Math and Science center a few times just might be an acceptable replacement for arm day at the gym. I have seen many a person attempt to open the doors smoothly, and a good 99% of them have failed. Either you look like a weakling trying to slowly open them or you go beast-mode and body slam the doors open, making yourself look like a fool. You can't win.
2. You’ve seen cops on horses.
Campus police are a common sight around BSU. However, when the weather conditions are just right, you may catch a glimpse of the horse cops. Yeah, they have way less horsepower than a cruiser, but horses are definitely way more fun to take a selfie with.
3. You’ve seen a longboarder/ skateboarder eat the dirt.
Bridgewater's campus is a great area to skate across when the weather is nice. Its much faster than walking and way cooler than taking the bus. During the beginning and end of the school year, skaters are a common sight around campus. However, not everyone can be Tony Hawk. Once in a while, one of them will take a turn a little too fast and end up with a mouthful of dirt. Just don't make it too obvious that you're taking a snapchat of their failure.
4. You’ve been woken up or disturbed by the Commuter Rail.
Bridgewater State University is lucky enough to have a Commuter Rail station right on campus. It gives us easy access to to the greatest city in the world, Boston, MA. However, this has its cons as well. You may be up late attempting to cram in some last minute homework and while you're in your zone, BOOM, blaring horns and bells let you know that a train is approaching the station. It's a small price to pay for having access to the city, but it can get annoying, nonetheless.
5. You’ve spent an unholy amount of money on Chessman’s Pizza.
Its one o'clock in the morning. You're all out of ramen and the dining halls are closed. Your stomach is begging for you to eat something. You pull out your phone and dial the number for Chessman's Pizza, a close-by pizza joint that will deliver right to your dorm until two in the morning. Whether you're craving regular cheese pizza or something crazy like chicken broccoli alfredo pizza, Chessman's is definitely the way to go.
6. You constantly check the class cancellation list.
You really just want to sleep for a couple more hours, but you have an 8 am class standing in your way. Before you even get out of bed you say a quick prayer to the class cancellation gods, and you pull out your phone to check the cancellation list. And there it is, your professor's name right on the top. You smile wider than you have in a while, let out a victory cry, and go right back to bed. Don't expect the same luck tomorrow, though.
7. There’s a blizzard predicted for tomorrow, but school has not been cancelled yet.
Living in New England, we get some pretty crazy weather, particularly in the winter. Now, obviously we don't expect school to be cancelled when there's a couple inches of snow in the forecast. We're New Englanders, we're tougher than that. However, when we're looking at 10+ inches right at the time of the morning commute, it should be obvious what needs to happen.
8. You’ve taken a picture with Bristaco the bear.
Little known fact, our mascot Bristaco's name is actually derived from the first few letters in each word of BRIdgewater STAte COllege. (Obviously before we switched over to a university.) He loves taking pictures, giving hugs, and giving high fives. He can be seen anywhere from sporting events to the dining halls on random occasions. Don't miss your chance to take a picture with him, it will look great on Instagram.
9. You’ve gotten a parking ticket even though you thought you were parked in an appropriate place.
Parking can be one of the most confusing parts about Bridgewater State University, especially for freshmen who have not yet learned which lots are for whom and at what times lots open up for non-faculty. Even though you may think that your car is safe, you could very well return to see that dreaded bright yellow slip under your windshield wipers. That thirty dollars could have gone towards Chessman's or something more of use, had you known you were parked illegally.
10. You’ve gotten a parking ticket knowing fully well that you were parked illegally.
You ran into traffic on the way to school, class starts in 5 minutes, and you cannot for the life of you find a spot to park your car. You give up all hope and decide that parking in the area with yellow lines, clearly a no-parking area, is worth the risk of getting a ticket. Or maybe you're a commuter wanting to visit your friends in one of the dorms and you decide that all the commuter lots are too far away, so you park in a resident lot, which is much closer to your destination. As you leave the car, you pray that when you come back out you will not have a ticket. (Let me tell you, one of the best feelings is coming back to your illegally parked car and not having a ticket.)
These are just a handful of the many things you'll experience as a student at Bridgewater State University. Spend enough time here and you'll see the good, the bad, the ugly, and the just plain weird.
