UW: We need to talk. Take a seat. We're breaking up, but I know we can remain really close friends-best friends even. I just can't stand being with a school that doesn't take care of itself. You roped me in with great academics, athletic contenders in virtually every sport and the best band in the land. But that's not enough anymore. I want you to want me. With the way you take care of yourself, what is there to make me believe you want me?
Don't cry. I told you we could be friends. I will still see you every day-well not Fridays or Mondays next semester-I lucked out. But the rest of the week I will be here, and for five more semesters, mind you. Why am I throwing in the towel? Because your priorities are screwed up. In one of my classrooms, a roach crawled on a girl's hand. A roach. And no, I am not exaggerating about a beetle. It was a cockroach and according to the accounts of the people sitting around her, it was huge. A nice kid sitting next to her grabbed it, got up and put it outside.
Later in the same classroom, we watched a film. A girl in the front row saw a cockroach on the floor and virtually stood on her chair out of fright. Because it was dark, only a handful of us saw this display and we were paranoid for the rest of the movie. Every rustle of paper of squeak of a chair I attributed to the roaches that had taken my classroom hostage. Needless to say, I can't tell you what happened during the movie.
So what do you have to do with this? My professor's only suggestion was to not bring food in the classroom. Yes, that will keep the bugs away temporarily, but I have an inkling that is not all we could be doing. It bugs me. Pun very much intended.
This little story would end here-but it doesn't. I was reading through the student newspapers about the Mifflin debacle and numbers were thrown around about the cost of moving it a week earlier. I know the city handles Mifflin and not the UW administration, but it made me realize that with so much money put towards tearing down and rebuilding every building on campus over the next 15 years, why can't UW invest a little money in keeping the buildings useable? Why are problems like bug infestations, broken chairs and non-functioning equipment being ignored? You don't take pride in your appearance anymore, and I can't respect that.
But things won't change. As long as you keep roping other kids in with great nightlife, those carts on Library Mall and professors who are truly passionate about their fields, we will keep coming here and throwing our money at you. I love you UW, you are great place and I am sure that colleges everywhere have similar problems-but I am giving up. I am not going to get upset about these things anymore, buddy. Old habits die hard, and I don't want to change you, I just want to make you better. I still love you, UW. I am just not in love with you.
erincanty8285@hotmail.com.
