Tag: Taylor Godfrey ’19
Ghost Stories
by The Cowl Editor on October 25, 2018
Features
The Carson Killer
He didn’t want to get caught. The day he was suspected the shadows scratched across the hardwood floors of 29 Carson Avenue, as though the sun were trying to drag them to the basement. Day or night the sun succeeded; a cellar filled with more dark than light said as much. That’s how dark it must’ve always been. Yet, it didn’t stop the man from making it more midnight than milky-way-with-no-stars down there. Sealed windows and a victim a week kept the room heavy with languor only he could enjoy. Save the unheard screams from his “play dates,” it was quiet. Seldom was there a reason to suspect him of all people in the neighborhood. He was squeaky. Not a speck on him. When all the gardening he did finally got him dirty enough to be a suspect, he was gone. The police found a letter at 29 penned to them and the neighborhood.
“Reach inside,” he wrote. “Dig and dig. Look for it. Look, actually look. I assure you it’s there. I’ve seen it. All of them had it. All of us do. I saw it. They saw it too, before I let them go. The Capacity for murder is there. Everyone’s a killer if pushed far enough. The Capacity is buried below the gallbladder for most or in between the heart and the right lung for the extraordinary. I can’t wait to find out more in each of you. I can’t wait to find out which one I am.”
He didn’t want to get caught…so, he didn’t.
—Dawyn Henriquez ’19
“One of Them”
Halloween used to be my favorite holiday. Like so many others, I went trick-or-treating. I watched horror movies and visited haunted houses. I wasn’t immune to the world’s fascination with the dead who stay behind. But look where that got me. If this isn’t the definition of “cruel irony,” I don’t know what is.
Back then, costumes mattered. Halloween mattered. Now, the only thoughts I give the dark night are those of disgust. How, you must be saying, was I supposed to know how insensitive I was being when I was still alive? I can’t help it – I’m ashamed of who I used to be.
I remember my last Halloween. It was the first one after graduation and I’d driven three hours to my former roommate’s house in the middle of nowhere for a mini-reunion. Incredibles 2 had premiered that summer, so I was dressed as Elastigirl – not my most creative costume, but it was comfortable and, I had to admit, I looked pretty damn good in it.
The house backed up to a forest so dense I could hug two trees at the same time. It was my idea to go exploring there, to dare Death. After, I heard my friends rationalizing, claiming I didn’t deserve it. “She wasn’t thinking,” they said. “She’d had too much to drink.” They were kidding themselves. Cider may have played a part, but I was sober enough to know I was playing with fire.
Once we were in deep enough for the house lights to be swallowed by the wood, I started taunting the spirits, only half joking – Halloween isn’t fun unless some part of you believes in ghosts.
“C’mon out!” I yelled, laughing. “Bet’cha can’t scare us!”
The trees rustled incomprehensibly.
“Shut up!”
After a minute the air began to thin; only then did I pause to inhale and – I could have sworn – I heard the trees inhaling too. Suddenly, everything around me was thrashing violently. The wind scratched at my clothes, grabbed at my hair, and I screamed someone else’s scream.
Then, nothing.
Now I am one of them.
—Erin Venuti ’20
Eco Terror
“So. We were in the woods. Hanging out. Smoking—,” he paused, pursed his lips. “Wait, you guys aren’t, like, tightasses are you?”
The interviewer gave him a dead-eyed stare.
“Okay, it was cigarettes. Eddie’s new girlfriend is some wannabe witch, always yapping about stones and the moon and other bull. So, she’s feeling the spirit of the holiday, talking our ears off about All Hallow’s Eve, about honoring the dead, and she whips out chalk. But we’re in the woods, so she can’t really do anything with it. I think Andrew made some comment about using it on leaves.” He snickered.
The interviewer was unamused. “Mr. Greene, could we please get back to the matter of Wednesday’s incident.”
“Right. So she turns to the damned trees, talking about nature and oneness with the earth and once she’s on her third symbol on the third tree the whole circle of ‘em starts vibrating hard enough to stop a heart beat. It made my legs feel like pudding.”
“The chasm, Mr. Greene.”
“Listen, telling a story is like weaving a web, it’s very delicate very preci—”
“We are on an incredibly limited time frame.”
“Alright. So the trees are vibrating and Casey’s on the ground screaming, begging forgiveness, and there must’ve been something lost in translation because the freakin’ ground opened up and swallowed her and we were all standing by the edges because we were freaked by that point… Eddie’s gotta be devastated.”
“And you wouldn’t say your perceptions of the event were affected by the… cigarettes you were smoking that evening?”
“No way. I’ve been paranoid before, I’ve seen ghouls in shadows, but my mind is not nearly creative enough to make that up. That girl was messing with some chaos magic or something. What are you all telling her parents?”
“Our agency doesn’t handle that, only containment procedure.”
“Containment procedure?”
“Of anomalies.”
“So this isn’t an isolated incident?”
“Mr. Greene, right now all I can discuss is this particular event. Did Casey mention anything at all about a group called the Circle?”
—Julia Zygiel ’19
Home Alone
I wave goodbye as the last roommate’s car drives off into the darkening afternoon light. I sit myself down in my favorite beanbag with a mug of warm tea and close my eyes, the thought of having the house to myself causing a smile to play across my lips as I slowly drift into a lazy and much deserved nap.
Bang! A loud noise jerks me suddenly back to consciousness. My heart is in my throat as I look around wildly. Somehow, hours must’ve passed as the sky outside is a sheet of pure darkness. Inside, the dimness of the room without the lamps paints the furniture in white and black and gray, the same living room I have been used to for months made unfamiliar by the night. I hear the noise again.
“Hello? Back so soon?” I call out, hoping against hope that one of my roommates has simply forgotten her pajamas or her toothbrush.
The faint warbling of the wind answers me. From down the stairs comes a prolonged knock. One, two, three, four, five, six slow raps against the wooden door. “Did you forget your key?” I try again. No response.
Somewhere in the house the hundred-year-old floorboards creak and the windows rattle loose in their panes. The slow plodding of heavy footsteps reaches my ears. I turn and look into the kitchen, my eyes frozen and fixed on the door that guards the stairs. A screech of metal as the doorknob slowly turns. My heart has stopped beating altogether.
I hold my breath as the door swings open.
—Taylor Godfrey ’19
Remembering Respect This Halloween
by The Cowl Editor on October 25, 2018
Editor's Column
by Taylor Godfrey ’19
Editor-in-Chief
This week is one of our favorite weeks of the year here at The Cowl. In this issue we have an extra eight spooky, colorful pages in the Halloween insert. Filled with eerie stories and scary poems from our Portfolio section, the Halloween insert epitomizes the fun of the holiday: being creative, trying out other personas, and having fun with friends. However, as much as we love Halloween, we must be wary not to get so caught up in our fun that we are not respectful to other people and other cultures.
Coming up with a costume is debatably the most fun part of Halloween. People dress up as their favorite movie characters, as pop culture icons from the past year, or their favorite actors, artists, and celebrities. Halloween costumes are a great way to express oneself and to be creative, but there must be a line between what is fun and what is offensive.
As silly as it may seem, a Halloween costume is making a statement and we want to make sure the statements we are making are kind and respectful to everyone. Even if a choice of costume for one night does not seem like a big deal, using, for example, a minority culture as a costume objectifies that culture and boils down the entire complex and rich history into an empty stereotype. Moreover, by putting on this persona for one night, it invalidates the struggles and oppressions faced by members of this community. The person wearing the costume takes it off at the end of the night, but those who are of a minority group cannot simply take off a costume and all the struggles and history of their culture.
That is not to say that people cannot or should not dress up and have fun on Halloween. However, we should all think about how our choices of costume affect others. Making respectful judgments in dressing up will make the holiday fun and enjoyable for everyone. Then we can concentrate on what Halloween is really all about: having fun with our friends, buying discounted chocolate come Nov. 1st, and, of course, reading The Cowl’s Halloween insert.
Embracing Uncertainty
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
Editor's Column
by Taylor Godfrey ’19
Editor-in-Chief
For all college students, but especially seniors, there is often a sense that you should have everything figured out. Hearing stories of classmates with jobs or graduate programs already lined up can sometimes make you feel as if everyone already has a concrete plan and you are the only one who does not. However, if you candidly ask any other senior you will find out that is not at all true. But, even if it were, it is still okay to be uncertain.
Finishing high school, getting into college, choosing a major, and completing required classes can all sometimes feel like simply ticking off the next box on a pre-determined to-do list.
With graduation looming, this to-do list is coming to an abrupt end for seniors and though it may be frightening not to have a plan anymore, it is also the most unrestricted many of us have been in our lives.
There are a myriad of opportunities for graduating seniors—from graduate school, to starting a career, to volunteering, to even taking a random job and some time to yourself just to figure it out, which is also a completely valid option.
There seems to be an idea that if you are not in your dream field or enrolled in your top choice graduate school by next fall that you can never achieve your goals. However, there is no reason why this should, or even would be, the case.
We have our entire lives ahead of us and putting this much pressure on ourselves to figure the rest of it out by age 21 or 22 is not fair.
The world is too large and the possibilities are too numerous to pen ourselves into a life we frantically map out during our senior year of college. Things can and will change and instead of viewing this as a negative thing, we should try to look at it as something freeing and even exciting.
Instead of worrying about what we will do, we should take a deep breath and embrace this year by thinking of all the amazing things we can do.
“Us. We. Together. Family. Friars.”
by The Cowl Editor on September 20, 2018
Editor's Column
by Taylor Godfrey ’19
Editor-in-Chief
As the Providence College community enters its fourth week of classes, things around campus are beginning to calm down and transition to a regular rhythm.
The stress of moving in with roommates, the flurry of seeing friends again after a summer apart, the anxiety of changing classes, finding textbooks, and remembering schedules has mostly subsided.
Students are settling into their communities and groups of friends and with that adjustment being over, it is important to remember that within these groups, we should be conscious of being inclusive of all students on this campus.
In this week’s Cowl alone, the Opinion Section features two articles about people feeling out of place in their communities. One article emphasizes how women can feel overshadowed in academic settings and the other recognizes students being left out of social events, such as Golf Party, due to the excessive costs that go into such events.
Over the past two issues, The Cowl has also featured stories about the vandalism in the women’s studies department and issues the country is facing regarding immigration.
There is clearly a real feeling both on and off campus of people feeling left out and experiencing alienation from their communities.That is why we must make an effort to be an accepting and welcoming community on this campus.
Whatever else is happening in the world, a person’s school should be their safe space; the community in which they feel comfortable being a part of.
We are all so busy it can be easy to get caught up with classes, homework, and extra-curriculars, but it is important to remember to check up on friends, and even acquaintances, to make sure that the Friar Family is a truly welcoming “family” for everyone.
With the world in as much turmoil as it is right now, and with social and political issues being hotly contested in the public eye, it is important that we, as a community, have each other’s backs.
While we may be a student body full of differences, that also means there is plenty of room for everyone on this campus and it is our job as students to make it so.
Striving For Veritas
by The Cowl Editor on August 30, 2018
Editor's Column
by Taylor Godfrey ’19
Editor-in-Chief
As we start a new academic year, The Cowl is back for its first issue, exploring issues at Providence College such as new housing programs and head coaches as well as topics ranging farther off campus such as food truck festivals in Providence and the importance of political engagement.
Here at The Cowl, we are looking forward to another great year. We have just completed our summit training and this first issue welcomes back some of our writers and editors into their former roles, as well as welcomes other editors into new positions of leadership.
It has been so exciting for Abby and I to see so many of our staff members step up and flourish in their new positions and roles. We look forward to the new staff members we will gain as the year goes on.
We have an amazing staff full of people whose passion for journalism and writing amazes us every week.
Our Cowl staff is also aware of our place as the only campus news publication. As the College’s newspaper, we play an important role in reporting both events at PC and beyond.
In this time of intense discourse and unrest, when news publications and other forms of media are being disparaged and denounced and the phrase “fake news” has become a part of the common vernacular, The Cowl is committed now more than ever to the pursuit of truth and to the goal of being the voice for the 4,000 students on this campus.
An important tenet of this school is truth, or Veritas. It is so important to PC that the word resides in our seal and the embodiment of the idea stands proudly on Slavin lawn.
And Veritas is important to us at The Cowl as well. From accepting letters to the editor to interviewing students, faculty, and staff members, The Cowl cares what this community has to say.
Over the course of the next 23 issues, The Cowl will strive to uphold the concept of Veritas as well as continue to share the stories of our community members and fellow students, from Friars who have graduated in past years to our newest class of 2022.
Picking Up the Gavel
by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018
Editor's Column
As I sit down to write my first Editor’s Column, I cannot help feeling a mix of both sadness and excitement.
Sadness about the seniors who are leaving us this year, since The Cowl will not be the same without them, and excitement as well for the new things that all of us are moving on to do.
The Cowl’s seniors are an amazing and talented group of people, and I know that they will go on to do great things.
Marla and Paige, thank you for everything you have done for us this year, especially over the past few weeks as Abby and I have prepared to take over the roles which you have done so well in over the past year.
You two were our anchors over the past weeks of training, and we will certainly feel unmoored without you, as glad as we might be to see everything you are going to do in the future.
I am excited as well to be taking on a bigger role on The Cowl, an organization I have come to love over the past three years at Providence College.
Since joining the staff as a freshman, The Cowl has really become my home at PC. I hope to strengthen and grow in this 83-year long tradition as editor-in-chief and to uphold the legacy of all of the editors-in-chief that have come before me.
I know Abby and I will make a great team as editor-in-chief and associate editor-in-chief and there really is no one with whom I would rather lead a staff of over eighty people.
The Cowl is the epitome of our motto veritas, finding and reporting the truth on campus. It is a voice for PC students and I am so honored to be entrusted with that voice.
As we prepare to enter into our last year at PC, there is nothing I would rather do than spend every Wednesday in The Cowl office with everyone who has made my first three years so amazing and memorable.
Writer vs. Writer: Communications Major
by The Cowl Editor on April 26, 2018
Opinion
By Taylor Godfrey ’19
The importance of a liberal arts education has always been to learn how to read, especially at a school like Providence College. From Aristotle to modern and postmodern texts, the humanities have always given students in all departments a unique set of skills that they may not get in pre-professional programs. These skills are something that may be lost if a proposed communications major is added to the curriculum at PC.
The study of communications is not complete without the study of literature and history. Literature may seem archaic in the fast-moving modern world of breaking news and 140-character tweets, but it is an important way that humans have communicated for years and continues to be an important method of communication today. Without the background of English literature, writing would lack the depth and resonance that comes with studying the history of literary communication.
Not to mention the practical problems that would arise from implementing a communications major. “I think it will devastate us,” said chair of the English department Dr. Bruce Graver, citing a concern that students might gravitate towards a communications major, thinking it would prepare them to write professionally without the pages and pages of reading that the English major entails. For a major that has been declining over the last 10 years and has only recently been increasing in enrollment, Graver worries that a communications major could be a difficult blow for the English department.
An increased emphasis on the practical side of communications and a decreased emphasis on the humanities would also affect programs such as DWC. If more strictly professional writing and communications faculty are hired in departments, such as the English department, who will be left to teach DWC? In that case, “you are writing the death warrant of the DWC program,” said Graver.
That is not to say that the humanities are not responsible for creating more classes and programs that fit better with the modern technological world, for which Graver said the English department is trying to push. Simply adding more classes focused on digital media and technological communication does not negate the importance of Shakespeare or Byron. Adding a major that will likely pull students away from this literary background is not doing them any favors.
“English majors go into communications fields regularly,” Graver said, rebuffing the prevalent idea that English majors have limited career options. The solution is not to create a new major that might hurt departments such as English or history, but instead to foster more growth within the departments themselves to help them move forward into the digital age, while retaining a firm liberal arts background that will ground students’ writing in history and culture.
By Sarah Kelley ’18
For countless students thinking about attending Providence College, there is a major allure to the liberal arts education that the College promotes. Students are required to take a diverse range of classes and must engage in an interdisciplinary approach to learning which is truly unique to PC.
But for some students, something seems to be missing: a communications major. This is especially true for those interested in applying their reading, writing, analytic, and critical thinking skills outside the realm of traditional English courses.
While on the whole, Providence College’s English department promotes students’ analytic, communicative, and research abilities through their degree programs in creative writing, secondary education, and English literature—the course offerings do not promote the application of these critical thinking skills outside of the limited list of course offerings.
The lack of academic freedom this situation creates rings especially true for those students looking to develop their skills in specific areas of communications studies, such as: strategic communications, advocacy and social activism, digital communications, health communications, and countless other concentrations this dynamic field encompasses.
This reality does not deny the major value that an English degree provides for so many students interested in a wide range of career fields at PC. But in order to continue promoting the kind of liberal arts education that is foundational to the College’s mission, faculty and administration must recognize the need to expand academic options for students interested in applying many of the skills an English degree encompasses outside of the English classroom.
In light of the recent actions taken by PC professors Heather McPherson of the art department, and Wendy Oliver of the theater department to co-chair a committee working to propose a communications major, the College must seriously consider the major opportunity this field of study presents.
As Oliver commented, “We believe that the need for critical thinking and challenging the prevalence of disinformation so prevalent in the media today can be specifically addressed within a communication major…”
A communications major would strengthen PC’s interdisciplinary approach to learning, as Oliver explained, it would be embedded within, “the existing liberal arts curriculum.” It would also allow for an expansion of students’ academic freedom, providing a new pathway for students interested in both the oral, written, and visual arts.
The College should not ignore the overwhelming benefits this kind of academic program could provide to both the students and the school as a whole.
Tangents and Tirades
by The Cowl Editor on April 19, 2018
Opinion
Technology Allows Socialization
Walking around campus between classes, you can often see a sea of students, heads down, staring at the lighted screens of their smartphones. Images like this are often used in newspapers and magazines to bemoan the disconnectedness of life in the Internet age. Writers often lament the way that young people are constantly on their phones instead of speaking to the people around them.
But what you cannot see when you look at this scene is all of the socializing that people are actually doing through technology.
The world has never been more open or accessible than it is right now. It can be just as easy to talk to a person halfway across the globe as it is to talk to somebody in the building next to you. As someone who went abroad and made friends in different countries, being able to have a normal conversation on an instant messaging platform instead of waiting weeks and weeks to exchange physical letters is an amazing thing.
It is true that there definitely are ways to mindlessly waste time on your phone, but there were plenty of ways to do that before the advent of technology as well.
While that person staring at their phone or computer screen might not be talking to the stranger sitting next to them, they could be engaged in just as meaningful a conversation with someone on the other side of that screen.
-Taylor Godfrey ’19
Bathroom Buddy Storms Boston Marathon
While spectators and runners alike were taken aback by the horrendous weather conditions of this Monday’s 122nd running of the Boston Marathon, what was even more surprising was the sportsmanship and teamwork displayed by one elite American runner.
Over an hour into the race, 34-year- old Desiree Linden made the surprising decision to wait and be the essential bathroom buddy to American teammate Shalane Flanagan, after Flanagan abruptly stopped to use a port-a-potty.
While the two runners had been seen communicating throughout the early miles of the race, this bold choice to stop running and join her teammate embodied the kind of sportsmanship and teamwork that typifies the spirit of the Boston Marathon. Even though Linden had told news reporters she chose to wait, believing she too would soon fall back in the race, she provided invaluable support to Flanagan, helping her catch up to the lead pack.
The support and dedication Linden demonstrated to her teammate and to the sport of running ultimately allowed her to push forward in the race, becoming the first American woman in 33 years to win the marathon.
The magnitude of this kind of feat should not be understated. With 25 of the leading elite male and female runners not able to finish this year’s race, Linden sustained extreme mental and physical toughness in the face of unpredictable conditions throughout the 26.2 mile course from Hopkinton to Boston. Yet beyond this toughness, Linden’s choice to fulfill the role of bathroom buddy to Flanagan exemplified the importance of teamwork and solidarity that lies at the heart of the Boston Marathon.
-Sarah Kelley ’18
Teach-In: Great Event, Terrible Name
Glancing at the rows of white-clothed tables in ’64 Hall, students were noticeably absent from the “Teach-in” on April 9. Aiming for a young crowd filled with open minds and differing perspectives, the organizers instead received scores of middle-aged faculty, all agreeing and nodding their heads to one platitude after another.
If event organizers want a serious discussion infused with a true diversity of opinions, the event’s name needs to change. Not only does the name “Teach-in” confuse what the event actually entails, the word “teach” frightens those skeptical that the event is truly a discussion. Billed as a true dialogue, perhaps more than a spattering of perspectives will enlighten discussion, allowing a fundamentally good idea to reach its full potential.
Knowing nothing besides the name of the event, I had no idea what to expect filing into ’64 Hall. Fixating on the word “teach,” I assumed an hour of lectures lay in front of me, with the thought never crossing my mind that I would have to say a word. Yet the actual event format was the total opposite of what the poor marketing implies. It truly was a free-wielding discussion, serving as a venue for people to speak their minds and have assumptions challenged. While the largely uniform audience suffered from monotony, the potential exists! Why not bill the event as what it is: a discussion?
Similarly, if the goal of the event is to welcome new voices into a cloistered discussion, selling it as a “teaching” event deters those skeptical of social justice. In fact, it plays into the opposition’s fears, as paranoia distorts the word “teach” into “indoctrinate.” Cognizant of skepticism across the political spectrum, event organizers should assuage these fears, not pour gasoline on the fire.
-Nicholas Moran ’19
The Importance of Being an Ally
by The Cowl Editor on April 12, 2018
Editorials
by Taylor Godfrey ’19
Opinion Co-Editor
When polarizing events happen on campus, it can be difficult to find a way to move on from the discord to a place of love and respect for all students. For those who are not members of marginalized groups, it can be difficult to understand how to help in these situations. That is why it is so important to be an ally.
This was the topic of the talk given Monday night by SHEPARD co-founder Paige Clausius-Parks ’03. She came to speak about the importance of allyship, specifically for LGBTQ+ individuals, and what she had learned from forming SHEPARD at Providence College in 2002.
Like many issues in our world today, passivity is not the solution that will solve problems on our campus. Sitting by and hoping somebody else solves the problem will only result in the problem not being solved at all. Clausius-Parks emphasized the need for allies to speak up for the sake of those who may not be in a position to speak up for themselves and to encourage others to speak up as well. If nobody is talking, the issues will not be resolved.
Clausius-Parks also underlined the importance of reflection not only of yourself, but also of other people and topics that you may not know much about. You must first understand the issues and your own place in relation to them before you can solve anything.
And that is not to say that people will not make mistakes or will be a perfect ally right away. As Clausius-Parks said, it is not about dwelling on past mistakes or misunderstandings, but finding “comfort in the discomfort” and making “a promise to do better next time.” The point is to try your best and to listen to and learn from others.
It might seem like some issues facing society today are too contentious and that fighting this uphill battle is too much for someone who may not be directly affected. But those are the people who should be helping, who should be using their more priveleged voices to uplift the voices of others that may be quieter or may not be ready to speak at all.
In the tense political climate that we live in today, it can seem like there is nothing one person can do to stem the tide of hatred and intolerance in our communities. It can seem like people are so entrenched in their own lives and opinions that real, positive change may never come.
But one person actively working towards a more open and accepting society is doing much more than someone who is remaining neutral or silent. In order to move forward together, we must hold on to, as Clausius-Parks said, “the revolutionary idea that one person can make a difference.”
If we are truly committed to being a “Friar Family,” then we must learn from and care about every student on this campus. No one should have to fight their battles alone and with a family of almost 4,000 students, we do not need to. We all have to make more of an effort to, as Clausius-Parks said, “have the courage and audacity to be present,” involve ourselves in issues that need our help, and work together to make a more accepting and inclusive “Friar Family.
Tangents and Tirades
by The Cowl Editor on March 1, 2018
Opinion
Respect the Ray Staff
As college students who eat the majority of their meals in a dining hall, it is easy to take advantage of the fact that we rarely have to make food for ourselves.
Even if our parents are the ones who cook for us at home, it is more convenient to be able to pick up food at any given time without having to wait.
Most of the time, we only speak to the staff in Raymond Dining Hall when we are saying “hello” or “thank you.”
Because of this, it might seem inconsequential to leave food on the tables or spilled drinks on the floor. While we may not necessarily expect someone else to pick it up for us, we also do not take the time to clean up after ourselves.
Regardless of the job descriptions of the dining hall staff, they should not have to be responsible for cleaning up the messes we make.
No matter how much of a rush we are in to get to class, it only takes a couple more seconds to throw our napkins in the trash or pick up food that fell off our plates.
The Ray employees work very hard all day, so it should not be difficult to make their jobs a little easier.
-Hannah Paxton ’19
Mo(o)re Hall Hours
The renovation of Moore Hall was much-needed and even more appreciated. Its renovation is especially convenient for those who live in buildings near Moore Hall and are looking for somewhere close to study during the cold winter days. It is the perfect alternative to the very overcrowded and often distracting Slavin Center.
However, unlike Slavin, Moore closes at 1:30 a.m. every school night, a fact that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. If Providence College allowed students access to the building at any point in the night, it would actually encourage students to study for longer hours if needed. It also provides a shorter walking distance for many students in comparison to walking to or from Slavin.
In fact, Slavin does not even have the academic equipment that is offered in Moore Hall, yet it continues to be prioritized over a building like Moore that is more centered on studying than socializing.
Most importantly, Moore is supposed to be a center for students to use in order to study at their convenience, and all students have different hours in which they prefer to do work. It is a student center for a reason: to be for the students. It is quite difficult studying in a dorm room late at night whether it may be because our roommates are sleeping or because the room is distracting.
In addition, it can also be hard at times to study in the dorm lounges because it allows for a lot of distractions from friends who also live in the same building. If it were up to the students, Moore Hall would be open 24/7. So this begs the question—who makes these executive decisions and why are the students not involved in the decision-making process? Something needs to change!
-Laura Arango ’20
Free the Weekend Packages
Is there anything worse for a Providence College student than waking up on a Saturday morning (or maybe afternoon) to a notification that you have had a package delivered to the package room?
What seems like an exciting event quickly sours when you remember that the package room is not open on Saturdays or Sundays and that your poor package must sit, lonely and unclaimed, on the cold metal shelves of the package room for 48 hours until those doors are blessedly unlocked Monday morning.
It is a cruel irony to realize that your package is waiting, but you can do nothing in your power to collect it. This is an irony made all the worse when you realize that whoever sent your email must be in the package room, but yet you are still barred from uniting with the care package from your parents or your latest impulse purchase from Amazon Prime for two more days.
I am not asking for much. I know the package room workers are busy and that allowing students to claim parcels on Saturdays will only make their jobs more hectic. But even opening the package room for student pick-ups for a couple of hours on Saturday would lessen the pain of receiving an email notification on Saturday morning and having to spend two full days staring forlornly at the obstinately locked doors until you can free your purchase.
-Taylor Godfrey ’19