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!!!!