Cracking the AUBG code: Patches and dispatches

Column
Silviya Krasteva
March 6, 2009

Since my poetry-writing abilities were questioned, I decided to dedicate myself to exploring the universe of blues and rhyme by attending the Poetry and Blues recital organized by Professor Vladimir Levchev. You may not have heard of it, but it did happen. Around fifty people attended. It was one of the most interesting events I've been to this year.

I believe most of you have heard the "Nyama bira" song. Well the guy who sings it, Vasko Krypkata (Vasko the Patch), was here on Monday, February 23, jamming at that very same poetry recital. OK, maybe you're not the poetic type, can't blame you, but I am actually trying to make another point here.

Posters on campus hang like obituaries. However, a big difference between the two is the lack of pictures on the posters, and the classical white look of the latter.

Law of Dreadful Posters #1: "Thou shall print on colorful paper rather than including a picture."

The thus printed poster may include only the basic information a JMC student taking Info Skills 1 needs to write his lead. That is not a bad thing, because I hate clutter. But color is good, okay? Oh, wait, we already DO have that. Uhm... blue?

"Hey dude, did you see that poster about the Recital?"

"Which one?"

"The blue one!"

Law of Dreadful Posters #2: "Thou shall write everything in a size 12 font, and the most important information, in size 16."

Law of the Dreadful Poster # 3: "Thou shall not use any other font but Times New Roman."

I see the t-shirts now. They will be a blast! "Times New Roman at all times!" You will see them in the cafeteria with a little sign "You can purchase this from the bookstore."

I know students rarely show up for something that doesn't have the magical words "refreshments provided," but please, good posters aren't that much of a luxury. You don't have to stay in line for them in front of the Corecom store for five hours in the cold, just so that an obese cheese-smelling lady with a wickedly-bold red colored permed hair yells at you "NO MORE LEFT!"

It is as simple as getting a work-study, or just sending an e-mail to allstud with a request for someone to make a couple of posters for you. Very simple ones. They don't take up that much time. I promise. Been there, done those. And they actually work. And the walls of the Main Building won't resemble the walls of other Blagoevgrad buildings with their black-and-white news feeds.

I remember the good times of the "Ghastly" Bunch, when someone relatively not as impressive as Vasko Krypkata would fill up the Red Room with a head-count of 150.

Advertising... hmm... WAIT! We study it at AUBG. PR? We study that, too?! Let's put them to practice because I find it appalling and outrageous that we lose the essential information somewhere in the debris of the Visual Spam jungle. And I'm not talking about getting twenty e-mails a day summoning me to enlarge my penis. Or get Viagra 95% off. I am talking about the simplest of all activities - adequately providing the student body with information, so that our blinded by science eyes don't swing from one "poster" concerning an essay contest in Bulgarian on the topic of "Why I like being in high-school and wear a pink top to Biology" to "What? You want WAT?" like a deranged George of the Jungle.

Blues and Poetry Recital

with
Vasko Krypkata, famous Bulgarian Blues musician performing hits like "Nyama Bira" and "Den Sled Den"

Edwin Sugarev, politician

Maritsa Kolcheva, student

I can actually see the Auditorium filling up with at least 150-200 people.
What will it be? Patches or dispatches?

Yours happily,
-S.

Comments

Indeed

I was right - AUBG is going to Hell ever since I left. And I remember the time when AUBGers were REAL AUBGers. I guess I'm just nostalgic. Nice column, Sue, I would gladly use it in an ancient Greek temple. Cheers. -- GK
Submitted by Anonymous on March 9, 2009 - 10:26.

Sue I definitely agree with

Sue I definitely agree with the point you are making! I was thinking about the same thing earlier, before attending this event. Indeed those events need more visual attention and if it is up to the events office, as the earlier comment stated, then they need to do something about it. There are many talented students who, I believe, are willing to design posters! And the excuse "Those are hard to find" does not count here, you need to look for them, it is not like they appear out of nowhere! Well, ask around and you will find at least few students who would take part in the design of such events! I agree with you Sue, the Auditorium could have been filled up with more students!
Submitted by Anonymous on March 9, 2009 - 09:58.

Y

Mind the comment? Someone was whining earlier that I comment too much. Anyways, It's not that easy with the posters, trust me, I know. It's true you poster-makers are amazingly helpful, but an allstud email? Hardly. Sometimes it's hard to get in touch with you. And in this case, it's events office that makes the posters... Go wonder. I didn't see this particular poster, but I imagine it's he same as all other lecturer announcements, and I think that's pretty easy to read, though not with a genius design. Another thing with the poetry readings is that... poetry is not popular, especially "real" poetry that is not normally understood by first-comers (something like understanding economic papers w/o knowing math). True, in this case you're focusing on Vasko Krypkata, but he was more popular with our parents' generation than with ours. Maybe attract Slavi Trifonov, but I'm not sure if you can reconcile him with poetry. Take care.

I.
Submitted by Anonymous on March 8, 2009 - 17:41.