Clemson University - Taps Yearbook (Clemson, SC)

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Amy Holm S5-D ™ 1 Relaxing in a space with enough room to stretch out is a new experience for some Clemson students (top left). Anne Zumsleg The buildings were constructed slowly, but in spite of the delays 160 students moved in on time (top right). Moving and arranging the new apartments took little time as students became adjusted to Clemson life (bottom right). By the beginning of the new year the buildings should be completed and 5 12 students will be living there (bottom left). Scotl Harke STUDENT LIFE — 25

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Calhoun Courts, although not finished at the be- ginning of the term, will hopefully solve some of the housing problems (top). Scott Harke New Apartments Aid Shortage The newest solution to Clemson ' s housing problems is Calhoun Courts. These buildings are not dormitories, but are apartment complexes with all the con- veniences. This type of living arrangement has many advantages and students seem to enjoy living there. Hal Waters de- scribed it as fantastic and added I ' m very pleased with it. The housing complex was partially fin- ished in the fall of 1981, but there was still alot of work to be done. The university is seeking the completion sometime near Christmas. When finished it will be able to house 512 students. Each apartment unit is capable of accommodating four stu- dents with two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. The students can cook for themselves or eat at one of the university dining halls. One of the most attractive features of Calhoun Courts is the commons building, which is located in the center of the com- plex. This area includes storage space, a laundry room, and a lounge with a kitch- en. The lounge can hold 120 people and can be used as a recreational area by the students. One of the drawbacks to living in one of the apartments is the cost. The current price of 500 dollars a semester is too high for some, but the students living there will tell you it ' s will worth the money. When asked, Virginia Webb said, Five hundred dollars is kind of steep, but we ' re having fun and I think it ' s worth it. Parking posed a problem for the resi- dents at the beginning of the term, but since then a parking strip down Morrison Road has been constructed. There are also temporary parking spots near the building for loading. Knowing the problem of noise that some dormitories face, potential resi- dents might wonder if they would be hav- ing the same difficulty. There seems to be little complaint about noise at Calhoun Courts. One of the reasons may be the design of the building. Dan Jenkins, one of the residents, said It ' s really pretty quiet. Calhoun Courts offers a different way to live and many students may want to take advantage of it. by Betsy Smith 24 — STUDENT LIFE

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Video Mania Hits Clemson Four cities have been destroyed and only two are left. The enemy bombers are in sight and four missies are descending. Another city is hit and destroyed. You alone control the fate of the final city as you quickly fire your missies towards the enemy. No, you are not the head of stra- tegic air command — you are playing the popular video game Missile Command. The video machines are an increasingly popular pastime sweeping the country. They first appeared a few years ago, and as the machines became more intelligent, video games began to take over pinball ' s place in bars and arcades. In Clemson, the games are not limited to downtown. Video machines have been installed in the canteen and in the Dillard Building. With many people the games become an obsession. Every addict has his favor- ite machine and knows his high score. One student admitted to having spent fif- teen dollars at one sitting playing the games. Another addict explained his obses- sion, When I am doing good with a ma- chine, I keep playing to beat my high score. When I am doing badly I have to keep playing to prove the machine can ' t beat me. One downtown bartender said that the games were popular because they can be played alone. The player is competing with the machine, comparing scores with other players comes later. The early video machines usually required two people to compete. The bars have machines to attract cus- tomers and to help keep beer prices down. One bar that opened during first semester, Penny Annie ' s, has its selec- tion of video sports as its main selling point. The number of quarters a game makes demonstrates its popularity and deter- mines how lon g the machine will stay. They (the patrons) don ' t demand of me verbally but they demand of me by put- ting quarters in the machines, what kind of games I have stated one downtown proprietor. According to several area merchants, this year ' s most popular game is De- fender, a game where the player pilots his spacecraft through two dimensions while firing on enemy ships. Other popular games are Missile Command, where the player defends cities from bombers and airplanes with missiles, Pac Man, where the good guy is chased through a maze by four monsters and Space In- vaders, the big hit of 1979. The games themselves are generally owned by a local dispenser and are only loaned to the bar or game room. Usually the profits from the machines are split between the merchant and the dispenser. A good machine in a location such as Penny Annie ' s c an gross on the average $200 dollars a week. The split for the merchant is straight profit since the ma- chines are supplied without charge. Most of the local games come from Ralph Alex- ander Inc. located in Seneca. The U.S. Army also got into the video business this year when it announced that it was experimenting with the games to Hand-eye coordination is a prerequisite for mas- tering Pac-Man , one of the most popular video games on the scene (below). = hi