Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

Dorm decorations hinge on creativity By JON TURNER THE GAMECOCK Space can be a precious commodity in a dorm room or small apartment, but Christmas lights and even tiny trees are popular student investments. Third-year electronic journalism student Bobby Brooks hung a lighted garland across his kitchen counter and set up a tree barely two feet tall in the living room of his apartment. He said he associated Christmas with decorations. “In my family it’s a tradition,” he said. “You always decorate. So when it’s Christmas we always do everything.” Brooks said he’d used the same decorations each Christmas since he came to school at USC. “This is stuff I’ve had like, God, since freshman year, probably,” he said. Brooks’ freshman dorm might not have been decorated in the best taste, he said, but it was definitely festive. “Oh yeah, man,” he said, “I had crazy lights everywhere, lights all over the ceiling. It was tacky. It was horrible.” Brooks said he would have felt a little bit like the Grinch doing nothing to celebrate Christmas. “I think everybody has a little something in their room for Christmas,” he said. Second-year pre-pharmacy student Forest Dutton has nothing in his room to celebrate Christmas. “I did absolutely nothing for Christmas,” he said. Students ought to be able to appreciate the holiday without dressing their rooms up for it, he said. “My mom decorates like crazy, but I just can’t get into it.” He said he looked forward to returning home to spend the break with his family. “It’s cool, I guess, to be at the house and see all the stuff,” Dutton said, “but I wouldn’t ever do it myself.” Second-year accounting student Katie Hageman said she thought lights and decorations helped students get into the Christmas spirit, but they were hardly necessary. “It helps,” she said. “It’s very festive looking at the lights. They’re so pretty, but I don’t think you have to.” Hageman said she hadn’t waited until Thanksgiving to decorate her room. “I put ‘em up on Election Day,” she said, laughing. “I had nothing else to do. I had the day off.” She said she’d decorated her dorm with lights, but she didn’t feel like dragging her tree out of storage. “Last year I had a tree, a little one,” she said. “I’m studying abroad next semester, so I didn’t want to bring all my tree stuff here and have to pack them all back up.” Hageman said she’d be home for Christmas. “I’m kind of looking forward to it,” she said, “They’re putting up a tree right now.” Comments on this story ? E-mail gamecocknetvs@gwm.se. edu » JB i il _ iP JP| JASON STEELMAN/THE GAMECOCK Bobby Brooks, third-year electronic journalism student, makes dinner in his freshly decorated apartment in College Suites. Island designs VJrhCjae IwmJ parted ^kss omAiwen+s 70* deserts avaiIa^Ic • CArnet pAlirte+bs SC pAliwe'H’os • Spor+s/Hcbbses College SoVit And i*ore! Free fersona!«iticn Free brass display stand Free Shipping www. *»slAnd^es^ns*i^. cc** <§>unny T)az£ Tanning 6a <f>alon 1226 Pendleton Street Columbia, <§C 29212 (803) 256-6090 §al on <§>£rvie£§ (•fffl lilted hair price* are etarting price*, price* may vary) Men’s flair Cut $20.00 Women’s Hair Cut $35.00 foil Highlights $95.00 facial Wax $15.00 Tanning packages 1 Visit $10.00 50% off fir*t Vi*il Monthly $45.00