This last week went by much faster than the first week of the semester, but that’s only because it has been a busy week. I turned in the last components of my study abroad application on Sunday, so now all I have to do is wait and see if I’m accepted into the program.

But now it’s the weekend! Hooray! Later I’m going to hang out with Tiffany and some other friends in the Village. The Village is a small area near campus that has a lot of restaurants and bars. Since I’ve been at Ball State, the Village has been filled with empty buildings and storefronts. It’s kind of sad to walk past so many empty windows.

There are so many vacant spaces, but this part of the Ball State community could really be thriving. But there has been a big push to revitalize the area, and lately it seems like it could be on its way to being full of different stores and places to eat. A new taco restaurant opened in December, and several other restaurants are supposed to be opening this year. There was even an entire Homecoming event that focused on the Village, so it definitely looks like people are becoming more and more interested in bringing business to the area.

Often times, people forget that Muncie is part of the BSU community. People get trapped in the Ball State bubble and they don’t really care what happens outside of the university itself. That’s what I was like during my first year; I barely left campus because I thought Muncie was this scary, mysterious place. Although the Village is right next to campus, I think it has felt the effects of this BSU vs. Muncie mentality. As more businesses open and more people venture off campus, maybe more students will realize that Muncie is a part of Ball State, not an entirely separate entity.