Maddie Mucci || Contributing writer
Students grabbed seats Monday in Lovett Auditorium for Realities On Campus, a show designed to introduce freshmen to the realities of campus life.
Since 1994, some version of the event has appeared on campus, making it yet another Murray State tradition. Although the script has altered as the years passed (the title has even morphed from “Great Sexpectations” to what it is today), the show has made an impact year after year in the lives of the audience members.
As heard in the Realities On Campus’ opening scene, “If only I had paid attention to that show the first week of classes—they talked about alcohol, drugs, diversity and they even talked about sex!”
This year’s show included information ranging anywhere between college’s biggest surprises, such as laundry debacles and scheduling crises, to the impact of bullying.
Olivia Erb, senior from Fort Thomas, Ky., has participated in Realities On Campus for three years.
Erb was one of four women to open the show this year with an a cappella version of “Fun’s” “We Are Young” from the balcony of Lovett Auditorium. The rendition had Lovett’s audience members snapping along.
From the vibrant opening song to the closing rhythmic chant, Realities On Campus 2012 impacted those who spent their Monday evening in Lovett.
“They started out with a very bold skit, and I think that caught everyone’s attention,” Lucy Easley, freshman from Louisville, Ky., said. “It made me want to listen for more and just really pick up on things. The humor they used stuck out, as well.”
The skit that stuck out to audience members satirized the discussion couples should have about past sexual partners. The entire cast huddled behind one blanket making a spectacle of what a night with someone could really mean.
Dean Anthony II, sophomore from Atlanta performed in Realities on Campus for the first time this year.
“I hope people (got) a realistic view of what it is to be in college, I know that college is nothing like being at home,” Anthony said. “Sometimes I dread going back home because you’ve got different rules—you don’t have that same freedom.”
Realities On Campus covered issues that Murray State students will specifically come across while transitioning into the real world. These experiences are things that the majority of students go through while in college.
“With that same freedom comes different problems and stuff that can happen,” Anthony said. “Like, hanging around with new people, stuff that’s being offered to you and learning how to interact with the real world. That’s what college is, so I hope people will open their eyes to see what college life is.”
Assembled each year the week before students move in, Realities On Campus attempts to adjust to the time period and significant issues taking place by using pop culture references, or addressing current campus experiences both good and bad.
“The only major difference (this year) was our live commercial on bullying and suicide,” Erb said. “We felt that was a relevant issue on our campus at this time.”
Whether the audience truly grasped what college life is remains a mystery, but audience members certainly learned a lot from the performance.
Eyes were open to absorb every last detail of information that could be applied to the upcoming year, and some eyes were even open to avoid the risk of unexpected decapitation by the ramen noodles, mints and t-shirts that were sporadically chucked into the audience.
Nevertheless, the audience was given a chance to simultaneously see into their future years and take their place in the Murray tradition that is Realities On Campus.