Cupcake are Decorated in Commuter Lounge

Photo by Hope Patti

Ramapo College’s Commuter Affairs staff is constantly hosting events to make commuters feel welcome on-campus while providing a relaxing environment. On Friday, J. Lee’s – Ramapo’s commuter lounge – hosted a “Cupcake Decorating” event open to all students, where anyone could come in, grab a chocolate or vanilla cupcake, ice it and top it with brownie bites, coconut shavings, chocolate chips, nuts or sprinkles. The on-campus catering company Sodexo brought over two trays of cupcakes and the toppings.

Rebecca Hrop, a sophomore and employee of J Lee’s, explained that the commuter lounge hosts events for students on a near-constant basis: “Last week we had an ice cream social, it had a great turnout and everyone was having a lot of fun.”

Often, these events are discovered through Twitter or word of mouth, according to sophomore and J. Lee’s employee Christine Mausser, who said she tries to spread the word by telling everyone, “Come to J Lee’s! Get free cupcakes! So why not?”

Junior Nicole Bevacqua attended the Cupcake Decorating event, and expressed how convenient it is to walk in, grab a snack and hang out until her next class:

“As a commuter, my schedule is pretty hectic, but J Lee’s is in such a convenient location it makes it easy to grab a bag of popcorn and be on my way to my next class without worrying about being late.” 

Junior Jana Devaney expressed how tough it is to work around a hectic schedule as a commuter, but having an open lounge to pass the time in makes her time spent at Ramapo easier:

“Whenever I have a break in between classes, I am often looking for which of my friends' rooms I can stay by for a little while to pass the time, but by the time I walk to their dorm I feel like it is already time to head back to my next class.” This is a common struggle faced amongst the commuter community. “Having J. Lee's in such a convenient area makes my breaks feel longer since I can just sit down and relax instead of running around,” Devaney continued.

The lounge is set up where one side has a television and couches where anyone can relax and enjoy snacks while the other area has many tables, which are perfect for doing homework or chatting with friends. With an atmosphere catering to all, J Lee’s strives to integrate the commuter community. All semester J Lee’s will be hosting events open to anyone on the campus where almost all of the events offer free food and a welcoming environment.

cbeatric@ramapo.edu