With Veishea events going on all week and the official opening ceremonies on Friday, we on the Daily Editorial Board issue a challenge to each and every ISU student to stay in Ames, participate in Veishea and help return the celebration to its roots.

Over the last three years, words such as quiet, tame and boring have been used by students to describe Veishea.

Students complain that Veishea isn’t fun and that it’s not like it used to be.

Nothing about Veishea has changed in the last three years. All that’s changed is students’ attitudes.

Veishea is alcohol-free – it always has been. The only difference was that over the last few years, student governmental bodies were forced to take a pledge promising not to drink.

Interim President Richard Seagrave decided to trust students and got rid of the pledge for this year’s celebration.

What made Veishea fun wasn’t alcohol; it wasn’t “Animal House”-style parties. It was seeing students out, experiencing their university, hanging out at night on Welch Avenue and at concerts enjoying themselves.

If students want Veishea to be fun, they are the only ones who can make it that way.

Veishea is about showcasing the university. It’s about the ISU community coming together for a weekend to share their experiences, show others what they offer, and, yes, have fun.

Students can return Veishea to this tradition.

So this weekend, instead of complaining about how Veishea sucks as you pack the car to head home, stick around and join the celebration.

We challenge every student on the ISU campus to go to at least one open house this weekend. See what’s going on at the university, in other colleges and in your own college.

If we work together, we will make Veishea what it used to be – we’re the only ones who can.

editorialboard: Carrie Tett, Jocelyn Marcus, Katie Goldsmith, Andrea Hauser and Tim Paluch