I’m attending Austin Peay because I’m playing football and I got a scholarship to play; I guess that’s what I’m doing.”
Chris Emeagwai, freshman business major

I come from a small town and I was kind of wanting to go to a bigger town but not go to somewhere that’s extremely large; and Austin Peay just seemed right because of the student to teacher ratio, it seemed really small but it’s big enough for me.”
Zachary Inman, freshman political science major

I got a full ride here so everything’s paid off; it was really convenient and it’s close to home so it saves a lot of money even though I had all the money paid for. And it had what I wanted to major in so why not?”
Miree Kang, freshman broadcast media

Basically, just to play basketball and because it’s not that far from home. I can always go home when I need to and also to get a good education.”
Alton Williams, freshman business major

I chose Austin Peay because it’s so close to Fort Campbell and I want to do the ROTC. I was hoping I could find a major here and a lot of my family is around here and that kind of stuff; it seemed like a good idea at the time.”
Chris Vanorden, freshman undecided

My biggest reason is closeness because I don’t want to have to move out yet, I’m not ready to move out yet. So it’s a lot easier for me to stay at home and commute; that was my biggest thing, location.”
Jessica Rongholt, freshman undecided

It’s nearby home and let’s me stay at home and save money. It’s also big and I have a lot of friends coming here.”
Sarah Parker, freshman broadcast media major

I really like all the plants and beautiful flowers and everything green. And I like the green toilets that save water and everything that is eco-friendly in all the buildings.”
— Michellle Turner, sophomore nursing major

More activities on campus, more fraternity things to do and more things to do. A lot of college students are lounging more than they are being active and APSU is trying to get them away from lounging.”
— Ladarius Davis, business management major

A negative is parking; there is none of it after 9 a.m. and most of it is packed. And if you manage to find a spot, you have to fight others or get in an argument and it is aggravating.”
— Nickolaus Willis, junior chemistry major

I really like the planting of the flowers and noticing the green on the campus and seeing the effects and changes on the environment.”
— Heather Yeaney, sophomore psychology major

Definitely the flowers they are placing everywhere. I think it opens people’s eyes, like when they are walking around the campus there is actually color instead of a dull campus.”
— Ariel Griffith, freshman pediatric nursing major

Designated smoking areas; it conflicts because people still walk across campus still smoking, which still affects the students that don’t smoke.”
— Kenneth Brown, graduate health care specialization

I think that it’s one of the worst things that has ever happened to our country because it’s one step closer to socialism and capitalism.”
— Megan Anderson, sophomore computer science major

I think as a whole it is going to help out a lot of people. Worldwide it’s going to raise taxes, there are a lot of provisions that need to be fixed.”
— Frank Pace, freshman undecided

I worked with a Canadian who came down to work in America to avoid his own health care system, so there must be some problems with their health care system. I don’t know if we are going to have the same problems.”
— Aaron Boyd, junior computer science major

My major thing on it is, when did our country and the people in this country lose the compassion that it was built upon by our forefathers? I support the health care bill and I will pay my tax dollars to make sure it works.”
— Aubrey Clark, sophomore history and political science major

I think it is a good idea for everyone to have health care because everyone needs health care.”
— Madison Johnson, freshman nursing major

I think that President Obama is doing the best he can do to try to push and change the health care so it can help out the citizens of America.”
— Mario Flint, sophomore business administration major

I think it is a great thing that is happening, it is great thing that we are working on universal health care.”
— Sam Talley, junior communications major

I think with the passing of the bill the quality and care that doctors provide will go down because there will be more patients and doctors which are going to be overwhelmed.”
— Joshua Prior, sophomore history major

CORRECTION (Monday, March 29): Meghan Anderson, sophomore computer science major, said, “I think that it’s one of the worst things that has ever happened to our country because it’s one step closer to socialism when capitalism has worked for our country for two hundred and something years.”

I actually benefitted because my parents made so low of an income that I got more money for FAFSA, and that has paid for most of my education.”
— Paul McCall, freshman music major

It hasn’t really affected my school that much because I’m on scholarships. But I know supplies and books hit my parents hard.”
— Morgan Brewer, freshman undecided

My parents couldn’t afford to pay for Hand Village so I had to take out some loans, and it’s been hard not to spend money.”
— Ashley Bolda, sophomore accounting major

It’s upsetting me because my parents don’t make enough money therefore they can’t pay all of my loans and everything, meaning I won’t be back next semester.”
— T. J. Lawrence, sophomore music education major

It doesn’t affect me because I play football so I get scholarships, but if it did affect me I’d probably have to take out a few loans.”
— Earnest Smith, sophomore health and human performance major

It has made it more difficult to get education, you have to find more scholarships.”
— Mary Jared, freshman chemistry major

When I first got here I tried to get to school in the beginning of an hour when classes got out. Now there is plenty of parking behind the stadium.”
— Scott Whitson, junior general business major

drive right when the class changes happen and I park up the street on the lot right next to the car repair shop. It is kind of overflow parking.”
— Amber Galuden, senior theater major

Honestly, after eight in the morning you just go behind the Foy or Meacham, but after 3-4 p.m. you can find parking spots.”
— Aubrey Clark, sophomore history education major

In all actuality, there are no strategies. If you don’t get here before 7:30 a.m. you’re not parking on campus unless you park behind the Foy.”
— Octavius Price, sophomore chemistry major

Parking is like war. There are so many people, the volume is so high of people parking you will be walking five to 10 minutes when parking behind Meacham and Foy. ”
— Kyle Fletcher, freshman microbiology major

I leave my work early and arrive on campus early. I drive around making sure I know where to park so I can get a good spot.”
— Rebecca Johnson, junior early childhood education major

I thought it showed a lot of unity in the student body. I personally agree with it and every love is wonderful.”
— Natalie Nowicki, sophmore pre-med major
I really enjoyed Judy Shepard. Great speech, had excellent ideas. As far as my reaction, I was really empowered by how to eliminate crimes and to go against hate in all forms because I think we should love others, not hate others.”
— Ronald Hester, junior social work major
I thought it was really good. I went with a couple of my friends and she spoke on how we need to stop being so violent and stop discrimination. You shouldn’t have to hide who you are to society.”
— Karrisa Carver, sophmore accounting major
I thought Judy Shepard was inspiring. Gays, lesbian, bisexual and transgender should all have the same rights as us. Informing our representatives that this is what a lot of people are wanting.”
— James Swafford, senior political science and history major
I think Judy Shepard‘s speech was amazing. As she was talking I was aware of the laws that were added, of the anti-hate law. I wasn’t aware of the changing of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” I also was not aware that we were in such an important time in history because things are changing and I didn’t realize I am changing.”
— Nykkiesha Starr, senior Spanish major