It can generally be agreed upon that Thursday nights at Conn can turn into an adventure left only half-remembered come Friday morning as you realize you’ve slept through your 9 AM class for the third time in a row. Sometimes it seems there are few things to do on campus except consume alcohol. For those who don’t drink, or those that have tired of the answer, “We’re gonna RAGE tonight” each time they ask if anyone has plans, it may feel as if their only option is staying in. Or is it?
There is an organization on campus that is dedicated to offering diverse events as an alternative to drinking. Coordinated by the office of Student Engagement & Leadership (SELE), Something to Do (S2D) plans weekly events on campus that typically run from 10 PM to 12 AM. The initiative was formerly known as Thursday Night Events (TNE) and each dorm took turns hosting events as an alternative to drinking on Thursday nights. The program eventually fell apart due to a general lack of interest. However, within the past few years, it was resurrected through the hiring of an enthusiastic new staff and renamed “Something to Do.”
Kim Marker ’13, a creative writing and secondary education major, is one of the leaders at the forefront of the planning and advertisement of these events. She had originally interviewed for a position working in the Lambdin Game Room. In her interview, it was clear she had a passion for planning. Thus, she was given a pivotal role in the S2D program. “I think what makes us different than other groups on campus is that we offer a wide variety of events and that we’re consistent in offering something new from week to week.”
S2D receives most of its feedback and ideas for events from Conn students through the use of surveys distributed at the end of each event, asking what students would like to see more of on campus. This year the S2D staff was also given the opportunity to attend the Northeastern Conference for the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA). The conference is a three-day showcase and marketplace of various performers and entertainment companies that offer booking opportunities for musicians and other activities. “It was a great experience,” said Marker. “Even though we weren’t able to afford many of the events, it gave us a lot of great ideas for things we could do on our own. There were so many amazing people there to share with.”
The NACA conference is where S2D had the fortune of finding this past week’s event: Caleb McGinn, a Kansas-based singer/songwriter with a sound similar to artists like Matt Kearny and John Mayer. This past Thursday night he performed both acoustic original and cover songs in Ruane’s Den. McGinn graduated from Kansas State in 2006 as a marketing major and received his Master’s Degree in Business in 2010. He began playing the guitar as an undergraduate, teaching himself chords and songs in his dorm room. It was not until grad school that he started performing and eventually discovered the NACA conference as a site to make his music better known and book shows at college campuses around the country.
However, the experience that really got him started was when he unexpectedly missed a flight home from London while studying abroad. In the week-and-a-half he spent around the city, he bought a guitar and wrote his first songs. This was the beginning of his departure from the business career he had studied for. “To be honest,” said McGinn, “if I had known how difficult being an independent musician was when I first started, I don’t know if I would have done it. But I pursued it blindly and have been met with some incredible experiences.” His words speak the truth for so many of today’s musicians who are more or less at the mercy of the music industry.
McGinn has had a good deal of success in his songwriting. This past year, he was one of ten finalists in the Guitarcenter.com songwriting competition and travelled to Hollywood. He was also the winner of the International Acoustic Music Awards with his song “Spring.”
Many of his songs surround relatable issues such as broken romance, uncertainty of the future and falling in love, and have been written from personal experience. One of his most known songs, “Girl of My Dreams,” was inspired by the world of dating websites and the overwhelming abundance of identical profiles.
At the end of his show he offered an encouraging sentiment to all in the audience. “I was not born a musical prodigy, but I want people to know that with enough perseverance it’s possible to do whatever it is they love.”
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