Spring Break
The Daily OrangeThe architectural wonders of Syracuse University
By Holden Fenner
Posted: 12/4/08, 2:14 AM EST Section: Feature
Syracuse University has a very competitive School of Architecture. It's nothing I've ever been interested in being in. Well, to be more accurate, it's nothing I would ever get accepted to. I can't even make a sand castle that will last for more than 10 minutes.
Given all of this skill, one has to wonder how we ended up with a dorm that resembles a toilet. I know you get some of your best ideas in the bathroom, but that is ridiculous. How exciting can it be to write home and say "I have a great view of the city from my room. It's located right above the lid."
Still, Haven is part of SU; I wouldn't get rid of it if we could. If we want to talk about serious issues with SU buildings, there's one that jumps right to the front of my mind: the elevators.
There are days that I would rather walk through Thornden Park at midnight with a suit made of real gold than get in some of the elevators around SU. It's my opinion that an elevator ride should not remind you to update your life insurance policy.
Not that I don't ride them anyway. Call it my "devil may care" attitude toward life (though I'd probably just call it 'laziness'). The elevators have introduced an interesting twist in that you suddenly appreciate classes on the ground floor a lot more.
Of course, there is always the other end of the spectrum: we now have elevators on campus that talk to you. This made me jump a little bit the first time I heard it. Of course, after that I had a very predictable geek reaction: I checked to see if I could control it via my voice. (You can't.)
SU was also the first place I had ever been that had elevators with front and back doors. I wasn't paying particular attention when I got one of those for the first time, and I had my iPod on. In my defense, at the time it really seemed like the elevator could have been haunted. Admittedly, I can now understand how poking the girl who had come in the back door might have been a little odd.
On second thought, maybe I should take the stairs more often.
Holden Fenner is a junior in the School of Information Studies. He is thinking about becoming a meteorologist for the job security. You never do hear much about out of work weathermen. He can be reached at htfenner@syr.edu or on the Web at www.holdenfenner.com.
Given all of this skill, one has to wonder how we ended up with a dorm that resembles a toilet. I know you get some of your best ideas in the bathroom, but that is ridiculous. How exciting can it be to write home and say "I have a great view of the city from my room. It's located right above the lid."
Still, Haven is part of SU; I wouldn't get rid of it if we could. If we want to talk about serious issues with SU buildings, there's one that jumps right to the front of my mind: the elevators.
There are days that I would rather walk through Thornden Park at midnight with a suit made of real gold than get in some of the elevators around SU. It's my opinion that an elevator ride should not remind you to update your life insurance policy.
Not that I don't ride them anyway. Call it my "devil may care" attitude toward life (though I'd probably just call it 'laziness'). The elevators have introduced an interesting twist in that you suddenly appreciate classes on the ground floor a lot more.
Of course, there is always the other end of the spectrum: we now have elevators on campus that talk to you. This made me jump a little bit the first time I heard it. Of course, after that I had a very predictable geek reaction: I checked to see if I could control it via my voice. (You can't.)
SU was also the first place I had ever been that had elevators with front and back doors. I wasn't paying particular attention when I got one of those for the first time, and I had my iPod on. In my defense, at the time it really seemed like the elevator could have been haunted. Admittedly, I can now understand how poking the girl who had come in the back door might have been a little odd.
On second thought, maybe I should take the stairs more often.
Holden Fenner is a junior in the School of Information Studies. He is thinking about becoming a meteorologist for the job security. You never do hear much about out of work weathermen. He can be reached at htfenner@syr.edu or on the Web at www.holdenfenner.com.
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