Within the next few months students can look forward to new food trucks, increased club involvement, and activities on campus to help pass time between classes by lounging on lawn furniture or playing games in the quad.

“We’re really just trying to make this campus a place where students want to be,” said Payton Robinson, Associated Students President and 19-year-old Communications major.

The Associated Students, under Robinson, are intending to bring more life to campus. Robinson, who was the founder and former president of Nature’s Finest club, credits his positive experience at Moorpark College as a result of the people he surrounded himself with. He promises to promote more activities on campus, beginning with a heightened focus on clubs through mentorship and funding.

“We have a lot of opportunities to help them out,” said Robinson. “We’re going to go out on Raider Walk and take September to analyze what our students want.”

The first event, a two-day “Club Rush,” will line Raider Walk with club booths promoting student involvement. Clubs will have the opportunity to advertise what they have to offer and recruit new members, new or returning students are welcome to find a home at Moorpark College. Students will be able to attend on Sept. 19 and 20 from 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. on Raider Walk.

“I used to be involved in a lot of clubs in high school,” said Danielle Garcia, 18-year-old Psychology major. “It’s a really great thing for getting people involved on campus, and doing things outside of their comfort zone.”

September will also introduce oversized lawn furniture, quirky photo-props, and games that will be scattered across campus inviting students to take the edge off of stressful classes. Activities will include giant Jenga, corn hole, and large chess games.

Robinson and his team are also working hard to uphold their campaign promises regarding more food options on campus.

Re-establishing hot food in the cafeteria is a main goal of the AS staff, however, renovations in other areas of campus have resulted in delays. Completion of the cafeteria is estimated to be in 18 months. In the meantime, AS staff is focusing on selecting new food trucks to accommodate students with specific dietary preferences by mid-November.

“I feel like inclusion is probably a big goal here at Moorpark College,” said Caleb Thornton, 19, a Fire Technology major. “That goal could be met appropriately when including vegetarian, vegan, and hopefully celiac friendly food trucks.”

Microwaves, in addition to more seating inside and outside of the cafeteria, will also be present as students await the return of the cafeteria.

There will also be upcoming events organized to encourage a sense of community among students, including movie nights and events to help with stress.

The first movie night of the semester will take place in mid-October. The outdoor movie will be held at either the stage in the quad or the in grass field at the bottom of the hill, near the football stadium. Admission will be between $3-5, and free to students with ASB cards.

The end of the semester will see a “Relaxation Week” that is aimed to make students feel comfortable despite the stress of finals. Massages and more will be available in the quad.

“These events will give us something we can look forward to,” said Nathan Swenson, 19, Chemistry major. “I’m excited to see what’s to come.”

To hear more about what the Associated Student Board is doing on behalf of the students at Moorpark College, join the staff during one of their meetings which are open to public comment every Tuesday from 3 to 5 p.m. in the AS Office of the Campus Center, unless specified otherwise.