Mason’s Culture

Are you looking for something fun to do on campus that won’t cost any money and will be fun for you and your friends? If so, then you should check out the George Mason Basketball games at the Patriot Center. Basketball season will be soon upon us, but before you go to a game the Patriot is here to rescue you.

George Mason University, unlike other schools does not have a football team. Which seems like a downside to the University at first, but in the end it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that there is a sport that the school rally’s around.

For those of you who have not been to a George Mason Basketball game. It is something that you definitely have to do at least once in your four years. Basketball games are a fun way to show school spirit. 

Last year I joined the Patriot Platoon, which meant that I got to go to games early to get good seats. I also got a free shirt and sat with other spirited fans. If you are not in this group, you are still welcome to the games and will be sure to have a good time. The student section is still flooded with yellow t-shirts and screaming fans.  But if you do attend a game, be prepared to stand almost the whole time and lose your voice. 

The pep band, aka the famous Green Machine, is there to pump up the students even more than they already are when they arrive. The Green Machine is led by Doc Nix and is in charge of playing music. One of the songs you will definitely hear is the George Mason fight song. If you don’t know the fight song by the time you enter you first game, you will know by the time you leave! They play the song many times during the game. Don’t be afraid of all of the other traditions and superstitious things that happen during the games. You will catch on quickly and someone near you will be there to help you. 

Not only is there the Green Machine to help students get ready for the game, but there is also the Cheerleaders and the dance team, the Masonettes. They stand right next to the student section helping to lead the cheers. 

Last year I didn’t go to as many games as I wanted, but this year I plan to go to more Men’s games and even a few Women’s games. The ones I did go to were a lot of fun, and I highly encourage you to attend. Basketball isn’t just a sport to George Mason, it’s a culture. It’s something to be excited about and rally around. 

If you still aren’t sure about basketball, you should check it out for yourself and see what you think. The first George Mason Basketball game is this Friday the 8^th at 7:00 pm against American University; I hope to see you there. So now you know about the basketball culture here at George Mason, all thanks to the PATRIOT!!!

Dorm Sweet Dorm

Have you ever lived on campus before? If not then you truly do miss out on a part of the college experience. I have lived on campus and it has been great so far, but there are also some horror stories out there as well. This week we will tell you guys some of the awesome events that unfold once you sign or pay your housing deposit, as well as what to prepare for if something occurs along the way.

            The Freshmen halls, here at Mason specifically, range from President’s Park, the Commons, Eastern Shore if you are honors or an athlete, and maybe even a chance of living in Piedmont if you are lucky. I was lucky enough to live in Piedmont my freshmen year because I was in the Cornerstones program. Our first year can make or break how we spend time the rest of our years in college, whether that is along side good friends or having to make new friends, because of clashing personalities.

            Good dorms are where anything can happen but are places that are still protected. Lightsaber battles and Nerf gun wars where people stay up all night just to be the last person standing or to even get lucky and pull an upset victory.  This dorm may have certain times where everybody really hates each other or where everyone surprisingly loves each other a little too much, but overall it is a positive experience because everyone is just helping everybody enjoy their freshman year.

            Dorm rooms specifically are a little weird, especially if you are a single child and have to share a bedroom with up to three other people that you barely know. Now the fight to determine who gets what bed can always be tricky, so in preparation of next semester of next year, remember to come a little early than your move-in time, so you can call dibs. Many a times have I been left with the bed I’ve slept in because I arrived on time but not just in the nick of time. Besides that, go into finding out who your roommate is on a positive note. Often times we go into new relationships thinking negatively of someone causing an early disconnect in what could possibly be the best relationship you have throughout most of your college years, until that special lady or guy shows up.

            When the end of the first week happens, you should definitely try to catch up or introduce to people on your floor. Now it may be awkward, being that almost everyone is completely different from what you are used to, but give it some time, and most of the time they grow on you. These new friends can change a lot in your life, sometimes negatively, but most of the time positively. They help create memories and stories that you tell around what seems like the biggest turkey ever when you first come back home for Thanksgiving. These stories may be about simply going in to the surrounding city, staying in and watching scary movies together or building a pillow and blanket fort. Try to capitalize on all the opportunities in your hall freshman year, even if you already have friends or are in a club on campus, because these people on your floor add variety and a new outlook to your life.

            Now there are some bad things in living with new people in a foreign place that is totally different than where you have lived the past 18 years of your life. There may be breakups that tear up a friend group, fights between roommates that create silence, or someone gets hurt by being too friendly or goofy, but this is a part of life. Each dorm hall is a little microcosm of life, where everyone can do their own separate thing or spend the first year of their life away from home together. A place where anything can go, as long as you do not mess with the RA, and a place where you define who you are for the rest of your life. So now you know what actually goes on in dorms a little bit better and you can thank that all to the PATRIOT!!!!

I Gunston Be Going Now!!!

Its Saturday night and you and your friends are looking for something fun to do off campus, but you don’t have a car. Well then you need the George Mason shuttle system. There are bus stops located at Shenandoah and Rappahannock Parking Decks. This allows easy and convenient access to the areas surrounding the university. 

One of the benefits of George Mason is its prime location nearby Washington DC. Luckily for all George Mason students there is actually a shuttle that takes students to and from the campus to the Vienna Metro. From the Vienna Metro there is a world of things for students to do there. They can do anything from going to museums, walking around the monuments, or just having a fun night out. The Mason to Metro shuttle system also aids in helping students travel home for breaks. A few of the metro locations have stops at Ronald Regan National Airport and Amtrak stations. I know several people including myself who have taken advantage of these shuttles when I don’t have a car available on campus. 

Washington D.C. is not the only destination that George Mason shuttles travel to. Another useful shuttle bus is the Gunston Go Bus. This bus named after George Mason’s old mascot takes students to University Mall, Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax Corner, and Fair Lakes Shopping Center. There are a myriad of things of do in these locations. They include going out to dinner, catching a movie, or going shopping. An additional shuttle bus that the university provides is a bus to George Mason’s Prince William Campus. This is useful for students have either have classes on the other campus or who live near the other campus and commute to school. The Prince William Shuttle bus also stops at Manassas Mall. Other shuttle buses include the Campus Circulator, which circles the campus and the Field House Shuttle that goes to the Field House. 

In addition to the buses that the university provides, George Mason students also have access to the Fairfax Cue Bus system. This bus system has stops all around the Fairfax area. It gives students access to many of the stores and restaurants surrounding the campus. Why would someone need a car when they have the ability to use these convenient bus systems? 

The shuttles to each location run at different times during the week, but have later hours on the weekends. All of these great services are provided free of charge by George Mason University for all of the student body. All you need is your George Mason ID. If you have not already taken advantage of these great benefits, students, here is your chance! So now you now some of the ins and outs of the transportation here all thanks to the PATRIOT!!!

OSI Can You See?!?

Have you ever been to Original Burger down in the HUB to get a nice cold milkshake, some hamburgers or onion rings? Have you ever wondered what the big room that looks like a workspace is right across from Original Burger or as my friends and I like to call it “OB” for short? Well that space is called the Office of Student Involvement and is where many of the offices of University Life and student organizations are located.

            When you first walk into the Office of Student Involvement or “OSI” for short, the student desk assistants there greet you, hopefully with a warm reception. The assistants can help you find forms to run for offices, give information to people working in OSI, or even get tickets for many of the events that happen at the Patriot Center, at a discounted price. So if you are interested in going to the Aziz Ansari show next month, you now know where to go to get discounted tickets.

            Beyond the welcome desk, there is a large room filled with cubicles and tables to allow people to work for their respected organizations. There are also several offices for the administration that lead organizations that are located in OSI. Several of the organizations that are present in OSI are the Student Government, Patriot Activities Council, or PAC, Weekends at Mason, OSI Films, Fraternity and Sorority Life and many more organizations.

            Weekends at Mason, or WAM, helps create events on campus or find events off-campus to help give the student body fun activities to do while staying on campus during the weekends. WAM has offered half-priced tickets to many DC attractions, as well as hayrides and trips to Kings Dominion. PAC is responsible for putting on the concerts, comedy shows, and other events on campus. They are also responsible for helping make Patriot Day, Homecoming, and Mason Day what they are. They are really awesome events that everyone should go to regardless if they are a freshmen or a senior. As they are super fun and help boost the Mason community both on and off campus.  

            If you are ever bored on campus on a Friday, Saturday, or even Sunday night, provided you finish all your homework, you should try to catch a film presented by OSI Films in the JC Cinema. They show movies that are about to be on DVD for free, so if you could not catch every movie this past summer or do not want to spend any money on a movie ticket, because they are pretty expensive, then you should definitely go.

            Student Government has a large presence in OSI, as they are comprised of class officers, the election and disputes committee, the executive board, the student senate, and of course the executive cabinet of student officers. This entire organization helps support the students here at Mason and were created to state our opinions on what we want on campus. If you are actually interested in being a voice for the student body, there will be fall elections coming up pretty soon for any freshmen and transfer students. After these elections, any upperclassmen is eligible to be involved in student government as long as they go through appointment.

            All in all, OSI helps the student body be entertained, be voiced, and be informed, which is what we, as college students, should try to attain to as we grow up. If you feel like becoming more of a part of the Mason Nation, then I encourage you to go into OSI and ask, “What can I do?” It will be one of the best decisions of your life, coming from a former student senator. So now you know what actually goes on in the HUB a little bit better and you can thank that all to the PATRIOT!!!!