The Joys of Construction

By far one of my favorite things about our campus is all of the blocked off areas. I didn’t fully appreciate the inconveniences of construction until this semester. I really enjoy exploring new parking lots and walking through dead flowers to get to my destination—especially when I’m trying to get to Simmons Hall or anything on the east side of campus. I see plenty of faces as I walk through the now-crowded Dedman Life Sciences building. And on those faces I usually see signs of frustration, irritation and sometimes even panic. What’s really great though is that it almost bonds our student body. Complaining about construction and asking the rhetorical question, when will it be over, is such a great topic of conversation. And oh boy, those black fences! They are so aesthetically pleasing. It really adds character to our school and a touch of humility. It’s like our school is shouting out, “Hey! Don’t worry, I’m not perfect either, but I almost had you for a second!”

I’m sure that not being able to exit through the other side of Fondren until August really makes my life and the life of other students so much easier. Let’s consider the wonderful opportunities it brings. For one, it creates temporary jobs! It also helps to foster time-management skills and strategic thinking. I know I have to plan my route before I head that way in order to make the most of my time. It’s like a neat bonus. I really am learning ins and outs of the classrooms.

I even bet all of those prospective students are really excited that they’ll be able to see the revisions to this campus once they start in the fall. It’s like their own personal makeover show. Everyone loves those before and after shots. It’s such a great selling point, “Hey guys! Guess what? We’re making our campus really bright and shiny, JUST FOR YOU!”

With so much construction at once, I truly do think we should take a step back to recognize those go-getters such as President Turner and all of the other partakers who arranged and approved these great projects. Their ambitious drive to make this school beautiful is truly second to none. I think we can all implement this philosophy into our own lives by making ourselves and the things around us even more beautiful, regardless of any inconveniences it may cause.