I have been attending UTSA for close to four years and throughout those four years I can honestly say I have still not found the true authentic San Antonio experience. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, so it is safe to say I had no real expectations to begin with except for the Alamo, River walk or Fiesta Texas.

With the constant growth in the student population and new programs such as the new football team, we need to burst out of the UTSA/1604 bubble. We need to start creating meaningful experiences to share to our future Roadrunners that can contribute to an overall school spirit we’re lacking.

This got me thinking about some things we can do on campus. I was wondering why we can’t display some bulletins or displays around campus that students or faculty can post about upcoming events for charities, community service hours or recommendations for the weekend?

What about websites or online resources for UTSA students to spread the news about things going on in San Antonio? Could there be a section in the Paisano dedicated to places and events outside of UTSA? For instance, the article done on Maya Angelou, an amazing influence on our world was at La Cantera’s Barnes and Noble signing books; that’s some pretty serious stuff and it wasn’t anywhere on campus and the article written in the Paisano didn’t provide the time or date. I truly think our student population would benefit from this type of information.

There is this amazing local organization called Culinaria which has a great annual festival that allows normal people to eat and drink fancily for a fraction of the cost. You could have the country’s most recognized chefs cooking right in front of you or maybe some of the best food from San Antonio restaurants. There is one coming up in May and wouldn’t it be great to let everyone know?

It’s easy to attend events when we know they are going on and that it’s something we can benefit from together outside of the main or downtown campus. Not only would this create a memorable experience, but this would create a strong community connection between UTSA and San Antonio.

For UTSA to be a commuter school and have so many students from neighboring cities or neighboring countries, the secret should be out about the hottest places in the city, the best music venues in the city or the most anticipated event in San Antonio that are affordable. Especially if we are going to represent San Antonio as a tier one university (fingers crossed).