Tangents and Tirades

by The Cowl Editor on October 25, 2018


Opinion


Graphic of recycle symbol around a globe.
Graphic courtesy of NewsInGeneral.

Time to Learn Climate Change

Last week, a report released from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change detailed the devastating impacts that global warming has on our planet, and will continue to have unless serious changes are made.

The effects of climate change are wreaking havoc on our planet and it is only going to get worse.

Thinking about how devastating climate change will prove to be in the future is scary, but it is important to start making effective changes now while we still can.

This is not a problem that can be dismissed or ignored any longer, and becoming educated on how to combat climate change is more crucial now than ever.

We do not have to radically change every aspect of our lives: small and simple changes to our everyday lives will eventually make a big difference. Recycling, using less electricity and water, and buying and using less plastic are all easy changes that really do make an impact.

Even bringing reusable cups and straws to a coffee shop makes a difference. We are all responsible for taking care of our planet and making sure it is the best it can be for future generations.

There are no longer any excuses for not being educated on what to do about climate change, and ignoring it will certainly not make this problem go away. We owe it to ourselves and to each other to protect this planet in any possible way we can.       

-Bridget Blain ’19

 

McVinney Showers Need to Cool It

Due to the outdated water system in McVinney Hall, girls have no control over the water temperature, for when the valve trim may be set to cold, the water can unexpectedly become boiling.

It is a known fact amongst McVinney residents that if someone flushes the toilet while you are showering, the water temperature will increase rapidly, burning your skin.

One hack that residents have learned is that the last two showers on each floor, for some reason, have a somewhat controllable temperature, resulting in a constant line to use them.

Showers are supposed to be relaxing, and one could expect that at least we would be able to control the temperature of the water, but thanks to the dysfunctional water system, that becomes an impossible task.

Last Thursday, McVinney’s water system further proved its incompetence as it stopped operating entirely. With 38-degree weather, it was a burden that all the showers had cold water.

However, to try and alleviate the problem, FixIt worked rapidly to fix the problem, and by Friday at 10 a.m. the water system had been fixed. Nevertheless, this was only a  solution to the immediate problem, and it did not solve the long-term problem that freshman girls have encountered while taking showers.

-Angela Bueso ’22

 

Bring Theme Cuisine Back

When the theme station was removed from Raymond Dining Hall, there was supposed to be less traffic, more space, and overall a more open and welcoming atmosphere. However, after nearly two months without it, this has prove not to be the case.

The theme station was well known for its grilled cheese bar, turkey club quesadillas, and other dishes students had a particular affinity for. While these foods will occasionally be featured at the main station, we no longer have the daily option of trying something new.

Instead, our choices are limited to sandwiches, pizza, pasta sauté, and whatever is being served at the main station.

Rather than improving traffic in Ray, the removal of the theme station has made every other line for food significantly longer. Students have to wait twice as long to order a sandwich at lunch.

Oftentimes, there will even be a line outside the door just to swipe your card and enter the dining hall. This used to only be the case on Thursdays for chicken nuggets, but now we have to wait a few minutes just to get inside at peak lunch or dinner time.

With 100 extra students admitted this year, it seems counterintuitive to remove an entire station in the dining hall.

For many students, the meals offered at the theme station were a favorite and provided a satisfactory alternative to the same food that is usually served.

-Hannah Paxton ’19