The Student Government Association at Bakersfield College has decided to renovate the game room in the cafeteria. The SGA will be reconstructing the game room into a new arcade and study lounge room for all BC students.

Shahzeb Shaheen, chief of staff from the SGA, has taken the initiative to help start and complete the arcade renovation. He has been surveying students for two weeks about their suggestions and opinions about what they believe would make an acceptable atmosphere for students. Shaheen also has surveyed students on their thoughts about a study lounge included in the arcade room.

“I do think this project is a good idea to start and proceed,” said Shaheen. “After surveying students within the cafeteria and around campus, it seems that students would enjoy some new games as well as some classic old-school games installed for enjoyment.”

The arcade completion date is set to be sometime in April. No exact date has been established yet due to waiting for board action meetings. The SGA will have professionals do their part in painting the game room and putting in new carpeting for brand new interior decor. Professionals will also be helping the SGA by installing most of the classic and newer video game machines.

The arcade will be open to all BC students at standard opening times of the cafeteria. The new game machines will be quarter based, and the money will be contributed back to the SGA for further campus projects.

“The completion of this project should allow students a place to relax between classes and congregate with one another all while enjoying classic arcade fun,” said Shaheen.

The decision to get new arcade games came across to the SGA after noticing how rundown and unreliable the old machines were.

Little to no attention has been ongoing in what is now the game room. So, after thinking of what can be done to fix this issue, the SGA decided it was time to get some new machines for the students to keep them entertained and a well-rounded environment to socialize.

Shaheen has been meeting with companies and collected quotes of popular video games to try to ensure a wide variety of genres.

He is specifically looking into a diverse feel of games from modern and some older class arcade games for all to have an interest in.

Due to his urge to make the arcade renovation of games to everyone’s acceptance, Shaheen has had multiple one-on-one conversations with students in regard to what they would like to see within the new project.