Nora O’ Byrne, Special to The Denisonian–
My time slot was 6:12 p.m. – could’ve been better, could’ve been worse, but I was happy enough.
As the clock struck 5 p.m., my arrogance had gotten the best of me. I was certain I would land one of my top choices: anywhere on North Quad was the best-case scenario, then Curtis West, then my old haunt, Shorney.
I mashed the refresh button. As every minute passed, my options became fewer as I watched my coveted buildings slowly disappear from my screen. When it eventually hit 6:12 p.m., all that was left to choose from was Shorney, Smith, or fraternity houses.
Shorney’s third floor it was.
The First-Year Quad (FYQ) was created with the intention of giving first-year students their own quad to congregate, so no one student would feel left out. While historically, first-year students would be placed in either Shorney, Smith, or Crawford Halls, they would now be placed in Crawford, East, Huffman, and Shepardson Halls.
I would argue, the grueling walk from Shorney to visit your friends, who all live in Crawford, is character-building.
Along with the announcement of FYQ, housing acknowledged in an email sent in February of this year that it was a less-than-ideal situation for sophomores and juniors, and promised to “enhance” Shorney and Smith.
The email from the housing office reads as follows: “Several spaces have been identified for the installation of exercise equipment in the Shorney/Smith complex. Students will be able to have a light workout while doing laundry or during downtime between classes.”
They continue: “Several high-end computer gaming consoles and chairs were recently purchased to be used by students ranging from casual online gamers to ESports enthusiasts. A gaming lounge will be installed this summer.”
The idea that adding a couple of treadmills and computers to the worst buildings on campus is funny enough, but that’s not the cherry on top.
Imagine my surprise on move-in day when I walk into an empty Shorney, treadmill-less and computer-less. The only thing that was “new” was a couple of coats of blue paint.
No amount of furious emails to President Adam Weinberg and failed YikYak riots could change the new quad. The Board of Trustees had already finalized the decision.
It’s not a nice feeling moving back into the building you spent your first year in.
It’s equally as frustrating seeing first years living in the quads and suites that I longed for after a year in a stuffy double.
But it’s common knowledge at this point that Denison loves to coddle its first-years; it’s evident in almost every behind-the-scenes decision.
This isn’t about housing, or parking, or free sweatshirts; it’s about not being heard by a school that promised to listen.
Nora O’Byrne ‘28 is a journalism major from Chicago.