Alongside a new school year comes new construction to Clemson’s campus. Both major and minor changes took place throughout the summer as most students found solitude in their parents’ house hours away, or at a new job outside of Clemson. While most of this construction both began and concluded before the new Clemson Tigers crossed Library Bridge to their first lecture of Freshman year, some construction will continue into the semester. Although it can be frustrating to reroute your walk or drive to school due to construction, students should look at the small impediments with a new perspective to accompany the new school year.
Students returning to their apartments for the semester have, no doubt, encountered various obstacles that were born from the summer construction. Changes to campus include but are not limited to: the current closure of McMillan Rd, the sixth floor of the library and the closure of the walkway in front of Brooks.
Although these developments can be an inconvenience during everyday life and easily sour one’s day, students should recognize that the outcome of each project will ultimately benefit our campus. Instead of cursing the closed roads and walkways, which is most of our go-to thoughts, it may be helpful to think about how our campus will improve with these developments. If anything, thinking about the extended study space on the sixth floor of Cooper will help you ignore the electric tools singing as you cram to finish the homework assigned in the first weeks of class.
According to Clemson’s Utility Services webpage, construction will install “electrical and telecommunication systems, as well as thermal distribution utility piping and valves”. If this means absolutely nothing to you, just think about updated infrastructure and brand new pavement. In Clemson, new pavement and the absence of potholes should be greatly appreciated. If anything, do not let the obstruction due to construction make you upset, as it is only leading to better things. Believe it or not, Clemson is constantly looking to improve the lives of students, but sometimes the University has to make some odd changes here and there to do so.
Begin this semester with a different outlook on the construction that, on purpose or on accident, bled into the Fall semester. Great things are coming and students should keep that in mind to make it through the next few months. If Clemson Tigers can hike from Core to Hendrix, surely they can walk uphill through a little dirt to bypass the construction in front of Brooks and make it to class on time. Hopefully. Maybe.
I hope you enjoyed this op-ed. If you agree or disagree with me on this topic and would like to contact me to share your own opinion, or if you would like to request any future topics for me to write about, please do so at [email protected]
