When you think of St. George, what comes to mind? Is it the Mars-like red rocks? The rock climbing or running scenes? Perhaps the “never-ending” summers? If so, you’re far from alone.
When I first moved here in 2021, I was pulled in by the undeniable promise of adventure sold on every advertisement. I pictured stargazing at parks with loved ones, scaling red rock trails to find secret sanctuaries and visiting well known spots, such as Feellove Coffee and Tuacahn Ampitheatre. St. George felt like the perfect place for new students to discover what fuels them and embrace a community so full of opportunities.
Not long after, I found myself hit with the harsh reality: most third spaces (places outside of work and home where people connect) are expensive to visit, closed before I’m off class, or appeal to a different, more outdoorsy audience. Even the parks close before you’d spot a full constellation. There isn’t anywhere to go once the day is done, and I rarely have the time to spend a full day out in nature.
So, where are students like me meant to be building lasting communities outside of campus?
While the Utah Tech campus offers many opportunities for students to connect, the community just doesn’t. St. George is ranked as the best city in Utah for small businesses, as well as being among the fastest growing cities in the country, but the community orients itself in a way that welcomes the elderly and families, not the university student. And to put it bluntly, it doesn’t need or want to.
Think about it. St. George is considered a college town, but it lacks all characteristics of that title besides the presence of the university itself. Where are the cozy hangouts? The late-night libraries? What about the student discounts, which seem to be getting rarer and rarer? How many places cater to the struggling student? If the university population really was important to this city, wouldn’t there be places to gather?
It seems I’m far from alone in this feeling. Kai Wight, a sophomore biology major who grew up in St. George, shared this sentiment: “There’s not really anywhere else [aside from campus] to hang out unless you want to be at a park all day, a store all day or home all day.”
If St. George really wanted to keep its graduates around, there would be more efforts made to connect students with the community; there would be more third spaces, more events to showcase the talents of students and graduates and more policies in place to protect students and future workers. By ignoring this section of the population, businesses are missing out on a very important market and the city misses out on qualified candidates to turn this city into something truly special.
If St. George ever hopes to become the version of itself it advertises to the world, a place open and inviting to the future college graduate, then it can no longer afford to ignore the university population. Bring back affordable and accessible third spaces, St. George, then maybe we’ll stick around.
