By Andrew Street
Social Media Editor
Undoubtedly, the construction across campus has become an inconvenience to everyone. With each new week, we see a new pathway closed or a mud patch formed, We may even hear new noises accompanied with construction. Of course, the construction is necessary for the College to continue to grow, but it has had its fair share of growing pains. The increasing inconvenience begs the question: Are the headaches going to be worth it?
Perhaps one the most noticeable issues is the College’s appearance change since the construction began. Instead of the vibrant campus we once walked, we now see an abundance of shoddily placed fences, oversized construction equipment and countless work zones. It has become difficult to find a location on campus that doesn’t offer the not-so-scenic view of newly constructed steel beams. While the College remains one of the more tranquil and scenic schools in New Jersey, it has undeniably seen better days.
The construction’s presence hasn’t only hindered the College’s beauty. Students have also faced inconveniences when they walk around campus and find their traditional route has been closed off. These headache-inducing closings can be seen most recently between the Arts and Interactive Multimedia Building and the Brower Student Center, and near parking lots 10 and 11. It is here that construction has altered the paths or, in some cases, forced students to walk through the car entrances in order to exit the garage. These minor annoyances can become bigger should we see more path closures as construction progresses.
Another inconvenience is the onslaught of mud as a result of the construction. Even the smallest drizzle seems to not only flood nearby walkways with ankle deep water, but it also creates large, sometimes unavoidable sections of mud. This is due to the lack of grass near areas that are being worked on. A perfect example would be outside the Social Sciences Building. It appears as if the College has placed rocks to alleviate the mud issue, though this does not remove the rain pooling situation. Despite that, the combination of both elements has made traversing the open paths more of an annoyance.
With the construction’s accompanying issues, it is becoming easier and easier to grow irritated. It has become difficult to avoid the topic, as students and professors are quick to complain or make a joke. However, despite these accompanying dilemmas, I believe the construction to be worth the price.
This February will see the opening of Traditions,a new restaurant in place of the former campus bookstore. Likewise, we are seeing steady growth in the expansion of the Brower Student Center. We are finally seeing progress and it shows us that dealing with these minor headaches is worth it. Suffering through the mud, loud noises and altering our paths is a small price to pay for the new facilities we will receive. Nothing worthwhile has ever come without difficulty and struggles and these additions are no different. Yes, maybe some of us won’t be here when everything is finalized, but we’ll be able to come back and be proud of what the College has become. The construction is a headache, there’s no denying it, but it will be worth it in the end.
