BY Faith Coolbeth ('25)
Houghton is known as a friendly and welcoming community and I’d like it to stay that way. Unfortunately, I have seen a trend of Houghton students making campus less comfortable for those around them. There are three main areas I think could see improvement.
First, in the dining hall. A few weeks ago, I was standing in line for strawberries and making friendly conversation with the girl behind me. The person ahead of us took enough of the strawberries to leave just about one serving, which a Metz employee told me was the last of the stock. The girl behind me was surprised when I offered to split what was left with her even though I saw this as the best solution. This reaction is one of many signs that courtesy is lacking in our dining hall.
So, the next time you go to lunch or dinner, consider what could be happening in the lives of others. Is the person behind you rushing to class? Consider taking less food than usual so there is enough for them and plan to come back for seconds. Could someone be planning to eat pizza or from the vegetarian section because they have an allergy to a food in another section? Consider starting with a clean plate or being careful not to touch serving spoons to your contaminated plate.
Second, the sidewalks. There are often groups that take up as much space as possible, forcing others to accommodate them. This has led me to trip on the path of Roth hill when two people walked so closely behind me that maintaining my place would have led to my shoulder
being hit.
When walking to and from classes, consider how the people around you are moving. Can you move to the right so others can pass in the other direction? If you are in a group: are you leaving enough room for others to walk by?
Last, the crosswalks. The most dangerous behavior I have witnessed lately is drivers not watching for pedestrians. I use the crosswalk by the townhouses multiple times every day, and I only experienced a few cars ignoring the crosswalk sign my junior year. It was common enough for me to be careful before stepping onto the road, but it wasn’t scary. Last semester though, I was nearly in an accident five times. And all from cars that came into view after I had started
crossing. I’ve stopped in the middle of the road because a car wasn’t slowing down. I’ve felt a car driving behind me close enough to feel the breeze moving my clothes.
This is genuinely dangerous! Just this semester, it’s happened three times! So, if you have a vehicle on campus, consider what you can do to make our roads safer. There are four main crosswalks: leading from the Firehall parking lot, by the entrance leading to the townhouses, at the top of Roth hill, and between the CFA and art studio. Do you think about the upcoming crosswalks when you drive?
Consider slowing down when you approach them and check twice for possible pedestrians. Also consider if you are someone who tends to use your phone while driving. We’re all guilty of it even though we know it can be incredibly dangerous. If this is something you struggle with: remind yourself to check your phone prior to getting in your car and place it somewhere you won’t be tempted to grab it.
If we all make a conscious effort to think about those around us and make small changes to help others, our campus can once again be a friendly and welcoming place. If we are to be a community modeled after Christ, we should show love for others in everything that we do. I have a challenge for everyone reading. Choose one day next week to be completely selfless and see how that changes your little portion of the world. I think you’ll be surprised how well it goes. ★
