Eastern Kentucky University - Milestone Yearbook (Richmond, KY)

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When students get tired of studying, working and being cramped up in their dorm rooms, many of them have one destination in mind: downtown. Downtown gives you the chance to relax, kick back and get away from school and home- work, said Rebecca Smith, soph- omore from South Shore, KY. Downtown is an escape for many students, an outlet. But most of all, it ' s a place to have fun. You can be wild and people won ' t think you ' re stupid; they just know you ' re having fun, said Sue Gladding, sophomore from Pocomoke, MD. Many students go to the bars to dance and socialize. Everyone usually has his her own favorite place to hang out. Two of the more popular bars are the Family Dog and O ' Riley ' s Pub. I like the atmosphere at the Dog, said Scarlett Shumate, freshman from Vine Grove, KY. I like the people that go there because there ' s more of a Greek crowd, and I like the music they play. I go to O ' Riley ' s because a lot of my friends from UK go there, said Smith. I like to party with them and dance and have a good time. Some University students have their own unique reasons for going downtown. I like to go play pool in the bars on First Street, said Jacquie Hellmann, senior from Park Hills, KY It ' s a good way to meet guys if you challenge them to a pool game. Some of them will look down on us because we are girls and they don ' t think we should know the rules; they are shocked when we do. First Street is different be- cause there ' s no cover charge and there ' s a really relaxed atmo- sphere. We can go in sweats and still feel comfortable, said Hell- mann. At the beginning of the even- ing, many students go to Paco ' s, a Mexican restaurant located be- low the Dog. Paco ' s is a neat restaurant, said Carry Doyle, freshman from Maysville, KY. They have a nice atmosphere and great food that ' s not really too expensive. I just go there for starters; then I go some- where to dance and have fun. Two of the newest additions to the downtown scene also include food as an added attraction. They are Bash Riprock ' s and Baja Ca- tina. Bash Riprock ' s is a place where you can go if you want to party, but it ' s also a place where you can bring your family, said Lisa Yates, senior from Bards- town, KY. I don ' t go downtown that of- ten and when I do go, it ' s usually to eat so Bash Riprock ' s is a nice place to go, said Kim Harmon, senior from Fairfax, VA. Harmon was also a part of an MTV video commercial that was filmed at Bash Riprock ' s. They had free beer and free food so I went. It was a lot of fun! Besides the video, other special events were held which drew large crowds. One of the more popular events was the male re- view at J. Sutter ' s Mill. It was great! said Jill Guter- muth, freshman from Louisville, KY. It was really different. That ' s why I wanted to go. Everyone was screaming, hol- lering, and clapping, even the married women, said Jenny Ma- grane, freshman from Morehead, KY. Some of the more popular events attended by the students 28 Student Life

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RELATIONSHIPS: i X Everyone has a unique and special idea about relationships — how to keep one together, when to get serious, when to date around, and when to call it quits. It is often hard to convince someone that his ideas are wrong while yours are right. Some students fall in love in high school and manage to hold a relationship together, even in the college scene. Others date in high school and find it too sti- fling to continue the relationship in college. Others prefer to give up school to maintain their rela- tionship. The different thoughts and feelings that people possess about relationships are what make it so interesting. David Laughlin, a sophomore from Louisville, KY, said, I dated a girl for two years in high school, and when I came to col- lege, it was easier to break the attachment than to try to make it work. It takes effort to make a rela- tionship work. Many students become interested in the new ex- periences and the new people at college, and leave their high school sweethearts behind. I think there are so many things to learn in college; I want- ed to learn all I could without being tied down, said Laughlin. I was ready to party and be free. This attitude is shared by many other college students. The commitments and relationships are set aside to be dealt with later. However, other students come to the University involved in a seri- ous relationship, and they have plans of maintaining it, regard- less of the distance between them. I ' m happy with my boy- friend, said Cheryl Ballard from Bardstown, KY. I ' ve dated him for four years, and if I didn ' t have him, I don ' t think I ' d be as happy as I am now. Distance often becomes a ma- jor barrier in many relationships. But I think if two people really care about each other, they ' re go- ing to make it work, no matter how far apart they are, said Bal- lard. This thought was echoed by Beth Jewitt, a sophomore from Ashland, KY, who recently mar- ried her high school sweetheart before he was stationed at a ma- rine base in Japan. It ' s a challenge to keep the re- lationship going, said Jewitt. I think the key to it is keeping the lines of communication open. Without communication, you have no relationship. This was one of the main rea- sons Jewitt married her husband before he was shipped overseas. Besides our love for each other, we were also influenced by the benefits we would receive from the military. I have my board paid here, and I ' ll also have trav- el expenses paid for me to go to Japan. According to Jewitt, the mili- tary doesn ' t seriously consider a marine ' s girlfriend or fiancee be- cause these relationships could end in a minute. However, if you ' re married, it ' s a different story. They make all efforts to help us keep in touch. Thev al- ways let me know where he is and what he ' s doing. I really miss him, said Jewitt. When he ' s here, I feel a lot more secure and happie r because I ' m not missing him. I ' m indepen- dent though and I like to look at it as a challenge to be able to sur- vive on my own. Missing the loved one seems to present major problems to many students. It ' s really diffi- cult for me to be away from my boyfriend, said Tonda Littrell, sophomore from Albany, KY. I ' m always moody when I ' m away from him, and I don ' t want to do a lot of things because he ' s not a part of it. Because of the difficulty cre- ated by being apart, Littrell has decided to get married this sum- mer and continue her education by commuting to another col- lege. I think I ' ll be a lot happier, said Littrell. We ' ve been dating for over five years and we ' ve been planning on marriage for a long time. I think it will improve my grades if we can be together. Different ideas, thoughts, dreams and goals are found at the University. Many people know what they want, while others re- main confused. However, a lot of times these things can ' t be planned. They just happen, and each individual has to decide what ' s best for him or her with- out listening to what others think is best. Student Life 27

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included 99c Margaritas at Bash Riprock ' s; Beat the Clock at J. Sut- ter ' s Mill; WFMI night at O ' Ri- ley ' s; 50c Jack and Coke at T- Bomb ' s; and Dime Draft at the Family Dog. It ' s fun going to Dime Draft at the Dog, said Shumate. It ' s cheap and there are not many people there. They also play good drinking music then. Downtown usually has some- thing for everyone ranging from special drink prices and food to dancing, music, and the chance to see old friends and make new ones. Whatever one ' s reason is for going, downtown Richmond re- mains popular with University students as well as students from nearby colleges and communi- ties. It ' s a place to escape, to meet friends, to party, and a place to have fun. Student Life 29