See-Ville A HANDY LIST OF EXCURSIONS TO CURE DORM FEVER by Allison Devers There is a pattern found in the daily lifestyle of a U.Va. student. For any given person it might include some of the following: volunteer work, beer, a part-time job, a full-time job, absolutely no job, fraternity or sorority activities, touring the lawn with "fresh" faces over and over again, Glee Club, a scheduled lunchtime with friends, activism, a thirty-minute gym workout, shopping, studying, Frisbee on the lawn, and don't forget, the 15 hour-a-week class schedule. On top of all these, surprisingly, there is bound to be the unexpected gloom of boredom. Boredom is a common disease in this otherwise sparkling town. Some might argue that this is untrue, that they are always happily occupied. This is baloney. But I have noticed that we students are always trying to qualify our laziness as something else; as we twiddle thumbs, and prop shoes on the coffee table, we claim, "It's not boredom, I've just done so much lately, I just can't work or play anymore." Yes, we fill ourselves up with restless inaction. I think perhaps that this excuse still signifies boredom -- which, disguised as procrastination, is an even uglier disease. If you find yourself looking for a change of ritualized activity this semester, here are some off-beat, lesser-known scenes of the greater Charlottesville area that might give you the break from the repetition of your otherwise fulfilling life. Shopping Once you've completely searched through the clothing racks at Fashion Square, the Downtown Mall, and on the Corner, and emptied your bank account at these retailers, find thrift and vintage clothing at The Giving Tree. This thrift shop is the best in the area, located in Crozet, about 10 miles down Ivy Road. The Giving Tree is a community share store, meaning it's not there to make much of a profit. This is wonderful because it means that you can literally fill up a grocery bag of clothing for one to four bucks. They also have a drop-off box for any duds you would like to recycle. The drive out to Crozet is refreshing, but try to go during business hours; I have found that the store often inexplicably closed. If you're in need of some cheap furniture, but everything has been picked over at the Salvation Army, or if you just like to snoop around in other people's old stuff, Aaron's Attic, located at 1700 Allied St., has just about everything. About half of their merchandise tends to be overpriced, but to be fair, the other half of it seems reasonably under-priced. Some of the goodies I recall seeing there include: plastic tomato salt and pepper shakers, a Tom-Thumb type-writer, and a revolving liquor decanter (it shoots your drink of choice into one of six shot glasses). Finally, there is the dollar-room, where plates, cups and other stuff is piled high. My own purchases from the goods in this room include: six diaries by a 1930s German immigrant in her twenties, a matted Chagall poster, a tea-cup, and a framed vintage postcard of the Virginia Historical Society. Dancing When you've been hit on week after week by the same lousy dancing guy or girl at Divine, it might be time for a change of dancing pace. Club 216 is apparently the most socially advanced place to dance in town. The club is a private one, meaning in order to gain entrance you need to go with a member. Since the main club-goers are of diverse and varied sexual-orientations, it is a good idea that if you go, you are of the non-homophobic variety. I have not personally been to Club 216; however, friends assure me that there is room for everyone with a good attitude. Scenic Drive I first drove up Carter's Mountain to help a friend move her belongings into the basement of one of the lucky homes that overlook Charlottesville. This is not a drive for the wimpy, or for those with bad brakes. The mountain seems more like a huge hill, as it overlooks Monticello and the surrounding Blue Ridge area. There are cattle in the road sometimes. More importantly, it is a private drive. The residents of Mountain Top Farm have had signs posted along the length of the road informing trespassers, "This is a private drive, trespassers will be prosecuted," and so forth. But once you have safely trespassed, night or day, your lapse in moral judgement seems justified. The view is inspiring, and you'll learn what C'ville looks like from above. Quiet Place For people who live on or near the Corner, getting to Alderman or Newcomb with the intent of studying can be a hassle, and the apartment or housemates might be too much of a distraction for you to bear. In this case, I've found that daily and early evening studying can be done quietly at the Public Library on Gordon Ave. It's small and has carrels. Cheap Thrills At Adventure Land, you'll find the Chuck E. Cheese-pseudo-fun atmosphere that kids of the instant gratification 80s were nurse-fed. The most active you can be at Adventure Land is driving the go-carts and taking swings in the batting cages. These two things are extremely enjoyable. It's a good place to make bets, like who drives with more precision or who swings with more spice. photo by Allison Devers Take a Graffiti Walking Tour There is some excellent building art in this town, not counting the overly congenial colors of the Beta Bridge. My favorite legal graffiti is located along the train tracks underneath most bridges. Among the graffiti sanctioned by the communities, there is one particularly nice mural. Other art is unwanted, but simply riveting. By far the most humorous and strange of all the vandalism is a happy sunshine painted sloppily on the side of a run-down house (somewhere in between 14th and 15th streets). The sunshine's source of happiness appears to be the humongous tab of acid painted right next to it. The next best place to study tags and other wall art is from the top of the parking garage on the Corner. Charlottesville is a good place to live. I've met very few students and residents who think otherwise. Sometimes as students we tend to step into a sphere, a bubble, and just float around the university's grounds for days on end. This is okay, but a more holistic view of the city is far more gratifying.

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