By Rachel Bolton
Managing Editor
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Just about everyone knows what it is like to suffer through an Upstate New York winter. In my dorm room closet, a pair of heavy duty winter boots await the inevitable snowstorm. Getting to class becomes a pain in the butt to deal with when you are up to your knees in snow.
But what if there was another way? Instead of walking through ice and snow to get to class, what if Saint Rose had underground tunnels connecting its buildings together?
Now, before you laugh me off, this is not unheard of. Back when I was looking at colleges, I went to Nazareth College and as a part of our tour they walked us through a long tunnel that connected two of their main buildings together. It was warm and well-lit down there.
Personally, I thought it was pretty cool. Thanks to growing up on the Harry Potter books, I am fond of places that remind me of Hogwarts. It seems pretty magical to have an underground tunnel on campus, although Nazareth College’s looked more like a janitor’s closet than anything like Hogwarts.
While it would likely cost too much money and be too time-consuming and hindering to construct, it is interesting to think about what it would be like if Saint Rose got some tunnels. The EAC and Albertus Hall could use a walkway, or how about Lima Hall to the EAC. Of course, the obvious suggestion would be connecting Brubacher Hall with the EAC, but I think that at that length, the college should just put in an underground train.
But there is a darker side to underground tunnels. I spoke to Dr. Hollis Seamon of the English Department about her experiences with the tunnels down the street during the winter at UAlbany in the 1990’s.
“One snow-blinded night, I tried the tunnels. They terrified me. The walls were slick and damp, covered in yellow tiles; they smelled like catacombs and were lit by dim fluorescence, with very few signs and no way to determine direction. I was certain I’d be there forever, stuck in some sort of near-hell limbo, walking, walking, walking and never emerging.”
To make matters more interesting, Dr. Seamon said that another group of people were using the tunnels for a less utilitarian purpose. “One time, a fraternity was doing something down there- hazing? Recruiting? Partying? -that involved costumes and insane laughter.”
In this regard, I think that the college would have more issues with possible tunnels than conveniences. Somebody would try to do something stupid down there. Since this is all hypothetical anyway, we had better start planning what we are going to wear to keep warm during the winter.
Alas, no one has invented the teleporter yet. That would certainly make getting around campus in bad weather easier.
