Issue 06 - Student Newspaper - Texas A&M Corpus Christi

PAGE 5 FEATURES / ISSUE 6
Who Turned Out the Lights?
KATHLEENRAMIREZ
features editor
Earlier this month, Texas
A&M University-Corpus
Christi fell victim to a string
of power outages, resulting
in classes being canceled
and meetings having to be
rescheduled.
The most recent blackout
occurred at the beginning of
the month on Feb. 2. This
blackout was different from
the others due to the fact
that it happened at night
when classes weren’t in session,
and it lead to A&M-
Corpus Christi closing early.
The incident left students
who live on campus without
TV, light, Internet or the use
of microwaves and stoves.
According to A&M-
Corpus Christi, this latest
blackout was a controlled
power outage that resulted
from the maintenance work
the electrical company, AEP,
was doing. In response to all
the power outages A&M-
Corpus Christi had been experiencing,
AEP decided to
shut off the power for a few
hours and perform maintenance
work, hoping to fix
the system and eradicate the
power outages once and for
all.
AEP informed A&M-
Corpus Christi of the power
outage ahead of time, notifying
the University that all
power on campus was going
to be shut off from 9 p.m. to
3 a.m. Once the campus had
received word of the upcoming
power outage, A&M-
Corpus Christi immediately
canceled all classes
and meetings scheduled for
later that day; the University
Center even closed at 7 p.m.
that night.
Despite AEP’s predictions,
the power outage
didn’t last as long as they
had warned. The power actually
went off around 9:30
p.m. and was restored a little
over three hours later, at
around 12:45 a.m.
Anxiously awaiting the
moment when they would
be left in the dark, Camden
Miramar residents started
converging in various parking
lots located in front of
the housing units.
For many Camden Miramar
residents, the dark was
an excuse for them to leave
their rooms and bond with
their fellow Islanders. For
other residents, it was a time
to play.
One of the first sights
that was observed that night
included a Domino’s delivery
truck bringing food to
some students and a Greenand-Go
Cab leaving campus
with a resident inside.
Multiple longboarders and
bikers were also out and
about that night. A majority
of these students had prepared
for the dark and were
well-equipped with flashlights
or other sources of
lights they had fastened to
their bike frames or around
their wrist or head.
Additional highlights of
the night included a single
firework that was popped
early on into the power outage,
a multitude of residents
who were walking around,
some with flashlights, some
without, a couple of guitar
players that performed
throughout the night, a girl
who was blowing a horn and
another girl who had miners
hat on, complete with a
flashlight.
One girl who was strolling
around the apartments
even mentioned how a
couple of hours before the
power was scheduled to be
shut off, a friend and her
had driven to Wal-Mart and
spent over $70 on lanterns,
flashlights, a tent and other
such items in preparation
of the blackout. This Serengeti
resident even claimed to
have pitched the tent right
outside her room, in the
Serengeti courtyard.
Another memorable
event of the night was the
mini glow-in-the-dark party
some students were having
out on a balcony. This
particular group of residents
not only had hanging neon
lights, but also had adorned
themselves, as well as their
balcony, with multiple colored
glow sticks.
One more highlight took
place towards the end of
the blackout and involved a
group of fraternity guys. Using
a friend’s car radio, the
fraternity guys hosted a little
dance battle in the parking
lot across from Laguna.
Perhaps the most memorable
event of the night was
when a group of students
held a lightsaber battle near
the apartments. The battle
started off with the Star
War’s theme song playing
in the background and continued
as residents attacked
CHRISTINA MARTINEZ - ILLUSTRATION COURTESY
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi has been experiencing power outages the past couple weeks,
leaving the entire campus with minimal to no electricity.
each other with various colored
lightsabers.
When the power was
restored ahead of schedule,
there were even a few scattered
groans that rang out.
Disappointed by the sudden
change of events and
the fact that their nighttime
escapades had come to an
early end, many residents
trudged slowly back to their
rooms where they resumed
a typical Thursday night at
Camden Miramar.
Spring Break: What Happens in Vegas
RichardOchoa
reporter
Warm and sunny temperatures on
white sandy beaches will not be the
only destinations for spring breakers
this year. Whether it is rolling the
dice in Vegas or sipping a soothing
drink on a cruise ship, one thing to
keep in mind is it is never too soon
to plan for spring break destinations.
One of the greatest things to do
after a long and difficult semester is
planning for a relaxing and stressrelieving
spring break vacation. Although
typical, popular destinations
such as South Padre Island Beach,
Miami Beach and Jamaica have
proven to never disappoint. Simple
ways to enjoy a spring break can also
include soaking up the sun on the
beach or while on a cruise ship. If
a beach is too typical, then another
popular destination that deserves
a closer look at is Las Vegas, Nev.
The ever-popular phrase, “What
happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” is
proof that Vegas can be a good place
to enjoy spring break.
Las Vegas delivers a great opportunity
for spring breakers to relax
and enjoy the variety of fun things
to do while in the city. The Las Vegas
strip offers some of the most
glamorous and unique hotels in the
world, some of which house the best
five-star restaurants and impressive
buffets. Of course, the casinos,
pools and shops offer some of the
best service. Don’t forget about the
plenty of chapels across the city for
that quick marriage.
If gambling at the casinos doesn’t
do the trick, then the nightlife in
Vegas is sure to impress; just be sure
to bring a lot of cash, because the
cover charges will not be pleasant.
However, if money is not an option,
then be sure to check out “The
Bank” at the Bellagio. This nightclub
offers a 6,600-square-foot space
with a two-level deck and plenty of
VIP space. With visits from music
stars and celebrity DJs, make sure
you’re dressed-to-impress before
you enter this classy venue.
Gambling and dancing are not
the only great things about Vegas.
Shopping also offers a wide variety
of opportunities for spring breakers
with plenty of choices at elegant
stores. The Fashion Show mall offers
upscale shopping from seven
major flagship departments such as
Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard’s, Neiman
Marcus, Macy’s, Nordstorm,
Bloomingdale’s Home and Forever
21. The mall exhibits one of the nation’s
largest shopping centers in
Las Vegas.
Shows, shows and more shows
help complete the full experience
Vegas has to offer. Blue Man Group,
Cirque du Soleil and many other
shows provide visitors with the
chance to see some great entertainment.
Whether it be nightlife activity,
gambling or shopping, Vegas offers
great fun and excitement for those
spring breakers who are looking for
an alternative break from the beach.
GOOGLE.COM - PHOTO COURTESY