It's crazy how things can rapidly change at DePauw in a matter of months. Last year, I was an innocent freshman being welcomed to the school with open arms and smiling faces, and now I'm a sophomore, left to essentially roam free.
Don't get me wrong, being a sophomore is great, but I honestly miss being a freshman in some ways. As a first year, everyone paid attention to us, whether it was in a good or bad way, because we were new and needed more assistance.
DePauw campus living gave us particular attention. As first-years we had the best housing experience you could ask for here on campus. We were supplied with helpful First-Year Resident Assistants (FYRAs), fun group activities that exposed us to the opportunities this school has to offer, and good-looking, well-equipped dorm rooms.
The Office of Campus Living and Community Development has also worked to continue this experience for upperclassmen by changing the way they assign students to their living units. This year, students were able to choose the people they wanted to live with and were then assigned to a hall that matched their preferences.
With these changes, students like myself were able to live close to their friends while also meeting new people. Although campus living is paying attention to who we want to live with, they have yet to improve the condition of the older halls.
I'm a current resident in Senior Hall. The rooms are a decent size. I live close to many good friends, and the atmosphere is relaxed.
However, that seems to be the only thing that's "chill" in my room. Despite those two advantages, there seems to be a problem with the airconditioning system in most of the rooms, making it hard to do simple tasks such as homework or sleeping, particularly since temperatures have recently reached the high 90s.
I know this might sound like a petty issue compared to others, but the students at DePauw do pay a pretty large cost for room and board — close to $9,000. It only makes sense for students to feel comfortable in their rooms.
Some upperclassman students have to pay extra simply for the use of a fan while others have the privilege of using their A/C for free based simply on what unit you were assigned. But students shouldn't have to go through the trouble of getting a doctor's note to the school for a free air conditioning unit to be installed in their window.
If DePauw is utilizing money to reconstruct the Emison Art Museum and maintain this beautiful campus (complete with high-powered sprinklers) that attracted so many, then there should also be enough money to renovate the older halls on campus with new equipment for upperclassmen.
As of now, the only upperclassman hall that has been renovated and kept in good condition is Mason Hall. Incoming sophomores shouldn't have to feel like the middle child in the family, only being remembered every so often while underclassman receive special attention and the nicest campus housing is reserved for juniors and seniors.
I hope that with the new changes that are taking place on campus, the school also comes to recognize the older buildings that should be kept preserved and in good, liveable condition.
— Conduah is a sophomore from Manhattan, N.Y. planning to major in English writing and communication. opinion@thedepauw.com