Written by Lauren Bucher
A perpetual student complaint against the town of Searcy is the alleged lack of activities. Typically, freshmen drive down Race Street and after surveying the situation, pine for home. Over time, though, most end up becoming fond of Searcy and find ways to enjoy small town life.On Friday afternoons, many students trade their books for bikes and computers for camping equipment. Arkansas, the Natural State, boasts a multitude of opportunities to get outside. Students walk, run or ride the maze of bike trails in Searcy or those in Little Rock. “My favorite place to camp is probably Flat Rock, but anywhere in the northwest part of Arkansas is good,” junior Ryan Hicks said. “It [camping] is a really good change of pace. It’s a great way to get away from the bustle and the constant busyness of school.”Petit Jean, Flat Rock, Pinnacle—these parks are popular destinations for camping and hiking. Caving at Blanchard Springs, star gazing at Sugar Loaf, swimming at Heber and jumping off Riverside’s rope swing fill students’ weekends before the weather turns cold.”You don’t have to be doing a traditional form of entertainment to be having a good time,” Hicks said. “Some of the best times I’ve had are just having a bonfire or random impromptu jam sessions in weird places. Those are the things that make college fun.”The lack of food variety is another complaint that students often voice. Students tired of fast-food joints and looking to taste something that is not wrapped in foil opt for family-run restaurants, such as Letty’s Filipino Restaurant on Race Street or One Stop, a small catfish eatery in Georgetown. “I think you can’t fully appreciate a town until you get to know the places that the locals do,” senior Monique Jacques said. “There are a lot of family-owned places here. You just have to look.”Similarly, students often survey other towns around Searcy over weekends and stumble across hole-in-the-wall restaurants or shops. For example, RoZark, a coffee roastery in Rose Bud, attracts students with its home-blended coffees.”When you go to RoZark, you get a little piece of the culture,” Jacques said. “I make it a point to go there because it’s an experience. It’s not something you would expect to find in Rose Bud, Ark.”Bargain hunting is another popular collegiate pastime. For students looking to buy anything from hand-canned fruit to clothing, Thackerland is their destination. The outside flea market in Judsonia hosts numerous vendors selling everything from puppies to chickens and old Coca-Cola bottles to birdhouses.”I really like living in Searcy just because small towns are very relaxing, and even if I do want to have a more traditional type of entertainment I can go to Little Rock,” Hicks said.While Arkansas is not generally considered a hub of culture, there are no shortages of festivals and seasonal events to attend, including Toad Suck Daze, Bean Fest and Folk Fest. With each season, the pastimes change. The changing leaves incite trips to the corn maze and pumpkin patch.”You might be surprised that there is so much to do here even though we live in a small town,” sophomore Carey Fraley said. “In urban areas you might go shopping or to the movies every weekend night. We do those things sometimes, but we also do random things. We are more creative here.”
