While students are here at Auburn to receive a quality education, they also need occasional breaks from their studies.
Whether it's music, sports, crafts, social events or any other activity, students are constantly looking for ways to escape the everyday stress of classes.
The University Program Council is doing its part to provide students with more on-campus entertainment by increasing the number of movie showings this school year.
After showing 16 movies last year, UPC is scheduled to show 22 this time around, including 11 in the spring semester.
The quality and diversity of the movies played a large part in scheduling additional showings this year, said UPC President Sharne Rice. "Lately, there have been a lot of good movies out," Rice said. "This semester, I think the variety is different."
Rice said this semester contains a mixture of comedy, drama, action and other movies after mostly going with comedies during the fall semester. UPC also wanted to show a wide variety of movies that would appeal to all students. "We're trying to target everyone and not just a particular type of student," said Brandie Battiste, films assistant director. "Hopefully, with more variety and having more of (the showings), we've chosen something that at least everyone will have liked." The boost in showings isn't going to cost UPC any extra money. Battiste said the organization will use leftover funds from its annual budget to pay for the extra showings.
The films committee uses its best judgment when deciding which movies to purchase. The committee receives a list of movies from Swank Motion Pictures that are currently in theaters, but are not yet available on DVD.
The list is trimmed down by selecting the movies with the highest rankings. After the highest-rated movies have been selected, the committee picks the final group of movies based on what it thinks the students will enjoy.
Some students are looking forward to the extra showings.
"I think it's awesome just because you can see (a movie) before it comes out on DVD and watch it with your friends and stuff," said Scott Morrison, junior in biomedical sciences. "It's right there on campus."
Morrison said he also believes the additional movies could give students more flexibility with their schedules.
"If they did it once a month, and if you can't come that one day, then you miss out on that whole month," Morrison said. "But if they show more (movies) more often, there's more a likelihood you could go."
There are six showings left on the slate for the spring semester.
The showings will wrap up with the stadium movie April 19.
"Star Trek" will be shown on the Jordan-Hare Stadium Jumbotron this year.
Battise said the stadium showing is a big hit with students and a great way to end the year.
"The stadium movie is an immensely big event," Battiste said. "It's pretty much the event that we wait for all semester."
The next movie showing by UPC is "The Men Who Stare at Goats" in Haley 2370 at 7 p.m. tonight.
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