How many times have you been late to class because you couldn’t find a parking spot? How much time have you wasted walking aimlessly throughout the library looking for a study room? How many back problems have you developed sitting in the decrepit desks that our alumni sat in? How much would you love for something to be done about it? I know I would.
After being a student here for more than 3 years I have noticed things that I wish could be changed. The issues are plentiful and range from as small as a desk to as big as a parking lot. Our tuition and fees are rising but our learning environment is staying the same. Though you may dismiss this as a bunch of first world problems, they should be dealt with to enhance campus life.
The newer parking lot that was built near the music building has alleviated some parking congestion. But, there still continues to be an excess of cars all driving around the same area waiting for a single parking spot to open. Yes, there is parking near the soccer fields near lot J, but if we’re parking that far already we might as well not buy a pass and park across the street. Parking is crazy in the mornings especially during midterms and finals. You have to get to school 2 hours early to save a spot. But that’s not all.
Hearing about college in high school made it sound like a sanctuary for freedom and comfort. When sitting in the desks I feel the exact opposite. Not only are the desks on campus extremely outdated, they cause pain for students. They’re too small for taller people who don’t have leg room and too small for everyone to fit a textbook, notebook and calculator on as well. It’s extremely hard to concentrate during a lecture when you’re trying your hardest to find a sweet spot in your desk, which sometimes takes ages.
Study rooms are the key for groups who want to study or for friends to hang out. At California State University, Bakersfield, it’s hard to come by a study room. There’s always the one person who’s ‘holding’ the group room for their friends or the one person who spreads their stuff out on the table to make the illusion that more people are there. Either way, it is too hard to find a study room on campus. I suggest the library develop a check out system in order to prevent a single user to occupying group rooms as well as for people not to waste their time walking throughout the library looking for a room.
I am not the only one with issues with the campus. Maria Martinez, a 21-year-old junior psychology major says in regards to the campus’ aesthetics, “The campus is cool on the outside and not so cool on the inside.” To add, 23-year-old junior psychology major Jordan Lee said, “The desks are very old and tattered in the Dorothy Donahue Hall and bad for my posture.” However, desks aren’t the only thing some students would want changed at CSUB. Daniel Avina, a 23-year-old public administration graduate student says, “Our school doesn’t really have many options for people who want to eat healthy.” In a world where obesity rates are rising, I think healthier choices at CSUB would greatly influence a healthy change in people.
I feel that so much work is put into making the campus look aesthetically nice to attract more people, but the students that are already here are left in an interior that needs rejuvenation. These are only some issues. I feel that if at least one were fixed, it would skyrocket morale in student life.
