Written By Paul Sell and Cori Olson
In the middle of a harsh winter quarter, Madeline Seacore faced a challenge that all EWU students dread: getting from Kingston Hall to her next class in the Music Building in less than 10 minutes.
Seacore did not have many choices available to her, other than to run like the wind or risk being late to her class.
“If I was able to make time, I would let the teacher know ahead of time that I was going to be late,” said Seacore. “That way, I could sometimes leave early.”
Seacore is just one of many EWU students who faces the problem of having to travel long distances across campus in a short amount of time. This is harder for newer students like Samantha Strollen, who spent more than five minutes running around the university trying to find Martin Hall.
“If you’re not familiar with the campus, [Eastern] could probably use some more signs,” said Strollen.
The solution to this dilemma seems rather simple: run like the gingerbread man being chased by an angry mob of bakers. However, what if the student runs the fastest route they know, yet they still do not make it?
Eastern student Cody Carrington believes that one of the best solutions is to cut through campus buildings that stand in the way, rather than take the designated walkways. Carrington also recommends using bikes or scooters to get around faster, especially as the weather improves.
“I prefer to use my bike when the weather is nice,” said Carrington. “The problem is that two-thirds of the school year, the campus is covered in snow and ice, so I don’t want to bring [my bike] out.”
Many students such as Rolando Garza suggest getting familiar with the routes around campus before the beginning of classes, whether through maps or by touring the facilities.
“Just know ahead of time if you have the time to do anything,” said Garza. “That way, when school starts, you have in your mind an idea of where you have to go.”
Once a route and routine have been established, that 10 minute break suddenly feels much bigger and not nearly as daunting, especially when Eastern’s campus all comes together like a web at the campus mall, linking nearly the entire university.
“I like the fact that [Eastern] is really laid back,” said Garza. “It just seems like it’s easy to get around, because everything is so close together.”
Tips for the most effective way to navigate campus
– Geometry 101: The shortest distance between any two points is a straight line – Think of the route as nothing more than two points on a graph and find the shortest length between them.
– If there is little time to spare, let the teachers know – Some teachers might be forgiving of students who have long distances to walk with hardly any time to walk it.
– When possible, cut through buildings – If a building stands the way, turn into the Hulk and power on through it.
– Carry a map of campus – This helps to plan out routes ahead of time and to become more familiar with the surroundings.
– Get any necessary work done for class in advance – Got a paper due in the second class of the day? Print it out the night before.
– If you get lost or need advice, don’t be afraid to ask others for help – The people who give this advice are also students and are understanding of that kind of situation.
– Find out where your classes are a day in advance – Take a tour of the campus with friends and enjoy Eastern’s campus on a quiet day with no one else around. Who knows? It might be relaxing.
– The weather is getting better, so ride a bike – Or a skateboard, scooter, even those old shoes with the wheels in the heel. That way you are getting to campus and looking stylish.
