It’s Vegas or Bust for some students
By David Chang
Jan. 14, 2004 9:00 p.m.
It’s Day 13 in my quest to resist the pulsating lights of
Las Vegas, which only means that I’m 72 days away from
getting sucked back in during Spring Break. That’s if I
don’t get weak in the knees halfway and pull a Double Down
Trent during a three-day weekend. I’m officially part of the
Vegas or Bust crowd.
You can take me out of Vegas, but you can’t take Vegas out
of me. In fact, there’s a Las Vegan in all of us, intrigued
by the allure of a city with a single-minded dedication to
pleasure. Our current fascination with Sin City has resulted in a
“Real World” season for the ages, NBC’s new drama
“Las Vegas,” and the saturation of televised Texas
Hold’em poker matches. For young Los Angelinos like myself,
the call is simply too strong, especially when a four-hour drive
delivers you to the doorsteps of decadence.
As my Vegas partner in crime Isaac would say: “Dude,
let’s go to Vegas.” We’re part of a student
syndicate of depraved souls who start itching for the desert
whenever a long weekend rolls around. I’ve begun playing
blackjack on my cell phone during class (practice makes perfect).
Some of us schedule classes around our Vegas trips rather than the
other way around. I’m considered a rookie in the group, but
nearly every weekend, one of us is in Vegas.
And why not? Everyone feels like a high roller in Vegas ““
they start thinking they own the world. It’s definitely an
ego-boost for us college students. People there seem to blow their
money (or financial aid) at an exponentially higher rate.
Though gambling is still the prime rib, you can select from a
buffet of entertainment including drinking in public, free drinks
at the table, drinking at a magic show, drinking at a strip club,
and bungee jumping. Visitors want to experience the city’s ad
tagline: “What happens here stays here.” Is there a
better motto for a college student than that?
Alas, nothing lasts forever, especially money. It’s time
to build up the Vegas fund. Once my penny jar is full, dude,
let’s go to Vegas.
E-mail Chang at [email protected] if you want to go to
Vegas.
