My Commons Life

News & features about the Vanderbilt Commons from the students who live here

Opinion

A Letter to the Class of 2025

by

Dear Class of 2025,

I cannot believe it is December already. Whether it has felt long or short, our first semester at Vanderbilt is quickly coming to a close. So before you become fixated on your finals and Winter Break and next semester, I challenge you to look back at the past few months and reflect.

Think back to all the people you met. If you were like me, you did not know anyone when you stepped foot on campus in August. What changed? How did you get to know the people you are closest with? Are there people you were close with when the year started that you do not see as often any more? Ask yourself if there is anyone else you would like to get closer with. I assure you it is not too late.

Think about the classes you took. Consider the subjects you enjoyed and even those you disliked. Are you majoring in what is most interesting to you? If not, do not be afraid to adjust or completely change your major. I already have, and I am glad I did it.

Think of how your transition into this phase of your life has gone. What have you done that you enjoyed the most? How about the things you wish you had done? There is still plenty of time to go do those things be it in these next three weeks or in the Spring Semester.

Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank all of you for making this such an amazing semester. I would be lying if I said that I was not nervous when I moved in. The community here calmed those nerves in no time. I know my and others’ experiences here are due in large part to each and every one of you. So one more time: thank you.

I wish all of you the best of luck these next few weeks and I look forward to spending the next few years with you.

Best wishes,

Daniel Sak

MCL Top 5: Things I Learned Over Fall Break

by

Going into Fall Break, I was a little worried. Don’t get me wrong. I was looking forward to the reprieve from my classes, but I knew it would be the loneliest I had been since I arrived on campus in August. Being a highly extroverted person, this thought scared me and even made me start to dread the long weekend. However, in all my worrying I overlooked a fact my introverted counterparts are highly familiar with: solitude can bring about clarity. So to those of you who ask what I did over Fall Break, I respond: I did nothing, but learned a ton. Without further ado, here are the top five lessons I learned spending Fall Break on campus.

1. Make the best out of what you have

Something that was relatively unique to my Fall Break was the fact that I had a 10 page long take home midterm assigned. That – coupled with the fact that most of my friends left – should have made for a pretty miserable weekend, but in a weird twist, these two bad things actually complimented each other surprisingly well. I found that instead of being upset, I appreciated the fact that I had something to do while my friends were gone and that I didn’t feel pressure to finish my essay immediately.

2. Explore your surroundings

Usually when I walk somewhere on campus, I’m heading for a particular location. For the first time, I decided to walk to Main Campus without a particular purpose in mind, and I have to say I enjoyed it. Over break, I felt like I got to acquaint myself with campus a little bit more, and I know I am better off for it.

3. Reconnect with old friends

Our families aren’t the only ones we left back home. Almost all of us have friends we know from high school (or even earlier). Over break, I reached out to some of my own friends back home, and I’m so glad I got a chance to catch up with them. If you have the time, I highly recommend reaching out to some old friends. You’ll be surprised how nice it is to talk to them.

4. Branch out

One thing I quickly learned over break was that I still knew people on campus, even if they weren’t the people I normally spend my time with. I had many great conversations and experiences with those that I don’t normally spend long periods of time with and found it refreshing. I know this is something that would not have happened without my break being the way it was.

5. Focus on you

There’s nothing like everyone else flying across the country to make you focus on your own wellbeing. Over break, I took some time to reset and take care of myself. It was also the first time since arriving on campus that I got well over 8 hours of sleep. If you haven’t done this yet, you need to (and you shouldn’t wait until Thanksgiving to give it a try).

Final Thoughts

While I learned these lessons thanks to Fall Break, they shouldn’t be exclusively for that weekend. It was because I paused that I realized how important these things are. However, just because Fall Break is over doesn’t mean these practices should be.

MCL Top 5: Ways YOU Can Affect Change in Campus Dining

by

If you were to ask me what my largest qualm with Vanderbilt Campus Dining was, I would not say the lines or the constant closures or even the lack of choices. While I believe all of these are areas the administration needs to address, there is something I am even more disappointed to have witnessed:

Vanderbilt Campus Dining made us – the student body – feel ignored.

We can feel demoralized when the booming calls to improve our dining experience seemingly continue to go unheard. In spite of this feeling, we do have power. Still, it can be difficult and nerve racking to take a stand, so listed below are the MCL Top 5 Tips on how you can bring about change in Vanderbilt Campus Dining.

1. Identify Where Your Message is Going

Knowing whom you want to receive your message is vital to success. In most cases, you typically want you message to reach those who have the ability to make changes. It can be easy to see Campus Dining as a singular entity, but it is a organization of people with all different types of jobs. The dining staff we interact with every day is a very different group than those who are actually making the decisions. Complaining to those who are subject to Vanderbilt Campus Dining’s administrative decisions, like students and much of the dining staff, will have little effect. You have to direct your message to the administration itself.

2. Know What You Want

This seems like such a simple idea, but many of us forget to consider the end goal. Almost all of us want Vanderbilt’s dining experience to be better, but “making something better” is not a substantive policy change. Do you want shorter lines? More choices? Longer hours? Whatever it is that you want changed, be clear about it. If you are worried about a number of issues, state each one explicitly. Furthermore, offer suggestions when possible. Even if a solution to one of the dining problems seems obvious to you, tell them anyways. There is always a chance they have yet to think of that fix.

3. Assume Campus Dining is Acting Rationally

For my fellow social science majors out there, you have probably heard this one before. Vanderbilt Campus Dining is not operating with evil intent; they simply have an approach moving forward that many of us find detrimental. Always remember that there is a reason they are making these changes. We may think it is a poor reason, but it is a reason nonetheless. If you cannot figure out the rationale (or even if you believe you have figured it out), the best way to begin a conversation with them is to ask “why”. I know it may seem a little odd, but in most cases you get one of two types of responses:

  1. You get a reasonable response that makes sense. If what they say is reasonable, feel free to ask follow up questions and offer suggestions, but I would avoid being overly combative. It is also okay to let an issue go and move on to something else. Some fight are not worth having, and there are plenty of other issues that need addressing.
  2. You get a poorly developed response. This is the time explain you position. If you notice a flaw in their response, cordially bring it to light. In most scenarios, I would pose it in the form of another question, but it is up to your judgement call. However you choose to respond, proceed respectfully.

4. Acknowledge When They do Something Good

Not everything Campus Dining has done in the past few months has been bad. We can sometimes get into a mindset of constant combat and rebuttal, but sometimes one of the most effective strategies to affect change is through positive reinforcement. It is often easier for an organization to do more of something that they are already doing than to develop a whole new system. A compliment is also more likely to be stand out in the barrage of critiques Campus Dining is receiving.

5. Publicize Your Opinion

This is the key to any successful movement. No matter how upset we are, nothing will change if we fail to share our thoughts. Every email written, every post made, every petition signed brings us a step closer to the version of Campus Dining we want to see. The best part of this strategy is that everyone can participate to their own comfort level. It does not matter if you create a petition or just sign it, every little bit helps.

Final Thoughts

After writing this piece, I hope not to leave anyone with the wrong impression. I am proud to be a Vanderbilt student. It is exactly because of this pride I want to see this school become the best it can. Over the summer, Vanderbilt University required the Class of 2025 to read the book When Breath Becomes Air, in which it is stated “You can’t ever reach perfection, but you can believe in an asymptote toward which you are ceaselessly striving.” Although I have not been on campus for a full month yet, it is clear Vanderbilt is pushing us to hold ourselves to this standard. We should ask the same of them.

MCL Top 5: Alternatives to the Rand Lunch Line

by

Let’s face it: waiting in the long lines for lunch at Rand can be a pain. Many students also have classes before and after lunch, so the time they have to eat is far more restricted than the other meals of the day. The Rand Dining Hall is one of the most popular places on campus for lunch, but it is far from the only one. Here are the Top 5 Alternative Lunch Spots, so you can spend your lunch break enjoying your food instead of waiting for it.

1. Kissam Munchie Mart

This Munchie Mart located in Kissam is a great place to stop for lunch, especially for those with classes in Wilson and Furman Halls. Open all day from 7:30 AM until midnight on weekdays, the Kissam Munchie Mart allows for much greater flexibility than the traditional dining halls that only open for certain meals. Moreover, unlike some Munchie Marts, Kissam’s offers a large dining space with plenty of tables to meet up with friends.

2. E. Bronson Ingram

For those who attempt to eat at Rand, but find upon arrival that the line is too long, EBI is a perfect alternative. Located near Alumni Lawn, getting here is only a brief walk from Rand. Beyond convenient location, EBI has a few distinct advantages. Unlike most of the other options on this list, Bronson offers a hot, freshly-prepared lunch; however, the lines tend to be shorter here than at Rand. This is also one of the few places on campus that offers an all-you-can-eat style buffet. Just keep in mind that EBI is open for lunch from 11:00 AM through 2:30 PM, so it might not be the best option for those who deviate significantly from a traditional meal schedule.

3. Rand Grab & Go

While the line for a Randwich may stretch out the door, there’s rarely a wait at the Grab & Go stationed near by. Located to the right after walking through the main entrance, the Rand Grab & Go is much faster than waiting for food in the main Rand cafeteria. It is also much better suited for those with nontraditional eating schedules as it is open nonstop on weekdays from 7:30 AM through 7:00 PM (except for Fridays when it closes at 4:00 PM).

4. Suzie’s Central Library – Food For Thought Café

Many first-year students are not even aware of this small café at connected to Central Library; however, it can be a great place to grab lunch or a midday pick-me-up. Open 8:00 AM to 7:00PM weekdays (except Fridays when it closes at 3PM), Suzie’s Food for Though Café offers a soothing contrast to the commotion of Rand. Its location attached to Central Library also makes this a prime lunch stop for those looking to do some studying before or after lunch.

5. Save Food from Commons the Night Before

This one takes a little bit of planning but can be a lifesaver. Some class schedules do not lend themselves well to stopping at any Dining Hall or Munchie Mart for lunch. Thanks to the way the meal plan is set up, an extra meal can be purchased the night before, thrown in the fridge (which most students already have in their dorms), and saved for the following day’s lunch. This option offers the most flexibility in meals as all the options from the Commons Cafeteria and Munchie Mart are available. Saving food from the night before is also the most accommodating to those with difficult schedules as they can eat those meals whenever they want.

Bonus Meal Money: A First Year Perspective

by

  • Ashton Helveston
  • Maya Anderson
  • Jonathan Wilson

After a rocky start to the new school year, Vanderbilt Campus Dining announced a fifty dollar Meal Money credit for students that would reset daily August 24th through 29th. While this may have been nothing more than a policy decision for Campus Dining, one could not help but notice a change in the atmosphere among the student body. This change was especially significant for first-year students who were still adjusting to campus life.

At a time when their schedules were packed with mandatory orientation events and new classes, the Class of 2025 received some freedom and flexibility from the bonus Meal Money. While most first-years would typically eat a majority of their meals at Munchie Marts, the Commons Center, and Rand, this policy opened up opportunities for these new students to try restaurants around the city they just moved to. In their first week on campus, first-years were granted a risk-free opportunity to try everything from Taco Mama’s to the Grilled Cheeserie.

The additional funds worked to shorten waits in the dining halls as well. Prospective Biology major Ashton Helveston noted, “I actually went to Rand for breakfast one day when we still had the fifty dollars and I got through the line super quick and got to my class with no worries or stress.”

Many students worked to optimize this opportunity. Helveston was one of these students: “I made sure I spent every penny every single day.” However, not everyone felt the same way.

Jonathan Wilson, a first-year Mechanical Engineering major, pointed out that the daily expiration of the Meal Money “provided this incentive to spend all $50.” In spite of this, Wilson only spent all fifty dollars once in the six day period, stating, “I don’t really need all that extra food anyways.”

Some students went even further, noting it caused them some minor stress. “I felt more of a pressure to spend [the money],” shared Maya Anderson, a first-year studying Neuroscience and Asain Studies. Anderson further explained her feelings, saying she felt that she was “letting all this money go to waste.” Her feeling towards this did change as the week progressed: “Towards the end, I realized it’s not like I have to use it.”

Even though some students may have felt obliged to use this money, those feelings were only a small portion of this story. Some would argue that the money and what it was spent on were overshadowed by something far more important: community.

Anderson also shared about how the bonus Meal Money served as a basis for establishing connections on campus: “[My friends and I] ordered a bunch of food. We ended up sitting with our RA and my roommates and we played card games.” She accredits the bonus Meal Money as the cause for this fun evening with her friends on her floor.

While not perfect, these six days of fifty dollars of bonus meal money offered unique opportunities for the Class of 2025 to adjust to campus life by providing them with a sense of security in their ability to get food, encouraging them to try different cuisines around Nashville, and allowing them to form memories with their new classmates.

Branscomb’s Laundry Room Is Not Bussin’

by

closeup photography of bong mask
This is what I might have to invest in soon. Anybody got any good gas mask recommendations?

Y’all, either Branscomb’s laundry room is directly above a sewer or some of the STEM kids are breeding a new type of mold ‘cus the noxious fumes in that room are extraterrestrial. I am literally gagging and fighting for my life as I drag my $2 plastic laundry basket from Target across the detergent ocean of that room. My nostrils are assaulted even through my mask, and I have to catapult my clothes into the washer before I run out of oxygen. I am not naïve enough to think that a college laundry room would be as sanitary as a hospital, but I also didn’t expect the potential dangers of inhaling Vandy’s own mustard gas. For those who don’t know, mustard gas is what you get when you mix bleach and ammonia, and it was used in World War I. But, Vandy’s version mixes the hopes and dreams of inexperienced college students with the Juul pods left behind in the dryers and the vomit stains from last night’s wild night. We aren’t in the trenches of a world war, but we are in the depths of a pandemic, so I guess it counts.

I would consider myself an experienced laundry washer (or whatever you call it) as I have been doing my own laundry since I was 13. I know some of the students here are brand new at washing their laundry, and may be making some mistakes with mixing detergent and bleach. But, I think the problem exists in buildup in the washers and improper cleaning. What I smell when I walk in that godforsaken room of washers and dryers is mildew mixed with black mold. There is no way that this is healthy to breathe in, or be in the presence of. I highly doubt these rooms are being cleaned, and if they are, I am concerned no alarms have been raised as to rectify this scent. I mean for all we know, it could be a bunch of dead rats decomposing under the Mount Everest of socks in the corner. I think the other issue is people close the washer doors after they transfer their load of sopping wet clothes. This creates a breeding ground for mold to throw their own frat party. So, if you’re reading this and you keep closing the door after your load, you are partially responsible for the smell and I am silently judging you through the screen. Yeah, I broke the fourth wall or whatever, fight me.

I am thankful that we don’t have to pay to wash our laundry with our already exuberant tuition costs, and I don’t expect perfection. But, I do expect just a general health inspection to make sure I am not breathing in noxious fumes that might make me grow a tail or something. Anyone who does laundry in that laundry room is truly a soldier worthy of high honors. I will be expecting a medal, Daniel Diermeier and maybe some high-tech weapons to annihilate whatever, or whoever, is growing in that basement.

The “Freshman -15” & We Want to Hear You Complain!

by

Standing On Weight Scale

Is it just me or is everyone hungry? I am constantly complaining to friends and fellow Vanderbilt students that I feel weak from starvation. They also comment on the wrath of my “hangriness,” a.k.a the monster that takes over your body when you are hungry. Recently, I feel like my portion sizes at campus dining have grown smaller and smaller, and the operating hours are shorter and shorter. What legitimate college student finishes eating at 8 p.m.? Also, I first thought that maybe my American-sized meals have led me to a false notion of a correct serving size, but recently it feels like things have gotten absurd for me at the campus dining halls.

Before I begin with my personal experience with the food, let me just say a brief disclaimer. First, the dining staff has been lovely. This opinion piece is in no way a reflection of them, but more about my experience with the physical food and my own rants as to why I am having that experience. Second, these are my opinions so I know everyone’s experience will be different, and this is in no way representative of everyone. Third, I fully realize I am very dramatic sometimes. So, keep those things in mind as you read about my opinion.

Do you wanna complain?

Also, exciting news! Did The Flip break your TV? Do you have cockroaches in your room? Has your underwear been stolen from the washer? If any of these things sound similar to an experience you had had, click here to speak your mind about your less than amazing experiences so far at Vandy. MCL is starting a new series about undergraduate rants and grievances, so we want to hear what you have to say. Everything can be anonymous so feel free to “air the dirty laundry,” if you will. Anyways, let’s get back to my laundry list of complaints about dining.

Just let us eat, Chancellor Diermeier

My Laundry List of Complaints:

  • The portion sizes are way too small
  • The options have increased, but they are limited to the responsible students who plan their meals day ahead
  • The dining halls close at 8 p.m. (or earlier), which is unreasonable for students with late classes or labs

In the fall, I didn’t particularly like the food served at the various dining halls, but I felt like I could at least get nutrients. Everything was streamlined to be in compliance with COVID-19 protocols, which took away all options of food. Only one meal was available, and it usually left much to be desired. Yet, the serving sizes were usually sufficient that I could survive off of a side of fries. I could also depend on Suzie’s for my iced Chai, salads, or bagels, so I felt content with the offerings, but not completely happy with the absurd price for campus dining. The fall wasn’t great with the food content, but I had faith and empathy for dining services as they adjusted to serving food in a pandemic.

So, imagine my surprise when over Winter Break, Vanderbilt’s campus dining Instagram was boasting about “new” and “improved” meals and menus. I wanted to trust you, Vanderbilt Campus Dining, but you have failed me yet again. I am so happy you brought back Randwich, pasta stations, and the Mongolian option, but those are false promises when I have to order them several days ahead. I barely know what I am doing when I wake up. How am I supposed to know what I am going to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner three days ahead?

What I End Up Eating

Here is an example of the portions I usually receive. For breakfast, most of the time I receive one small square of French toast and two strips of bacon. For lunch, I am given approximately 30 grains of rice, which tastes like saturated cardboard, and two droplets of queso atop three measly strips of lettuce. Side note, I have had Fresh Mex TEN days in a row, since only two walk-in stations are open at Rand. There are several order-ahead options, but if you forgot to schedule order your food three days ahead, then you’re out of luck and at the mercy of the dining gods. The other walk-up station is usually dry chicken or pasta, that several times has had hair in it that is most definitely not mine, and mushy potatoes. For dinner, I usually venture off campus and use my meal money, since my body screams at me to put in some type of edible nutrients.

These dining experiences have been my own personal nightmare. I feel unsatisfied each night as my tummy is rumbling with pleas of help. I understand I have the power to buy groceries and snack during the day. I am an adult that can buy food. Yet, why are we paying such outrageous prices for food, that in my opinion, is barely edible and repetitive or unavailable unless you order it days or a week in advance? I feel frustrated and without options some days for what to eat, so most of the time I just don’t. I also feel frustrated by the hours of operation at these dining halls. The Munchie Marts provide late-night snacks, but I want a hot meal after I finish my chemistry exam at 9 p.m. on a cold Winter’s night, without having to use GrubHub or walk somewhere at night.

Where is All the Money Going?

I am also #broke, so I don’t want to spend money each week buying groceries for food that I am already paying for at the dining hall. I have consulted other Vanderbilt freshmen, and they wholeheartedly agree with my annoyance over the portion sizes. I must also include that some freshmen are completely content with the dining halls and serving sizes. But, in my very informal research among friends, 8/10 were unsatisfied by what was being served and how much food they received.

I wonder if the answers to most of my complaints are because of cutbacks Vanderbilt has had to make in response to the pandemic. I am a rational human being (sometimes), so I understand these changes, yet I am still paying $5,373 per year for food that seems barely edible and is very scarce. They must be saving tons of money by overcharging for what little portions they give us. This leads me to some pretty crazy conspiracy theories as to what Vandy might be doing with all this spare money:

  1. Vanderbilt wants to be the first college to declare the “Freshman -15”
  2. Chancellor Diermeier is using the extra money to buy his nice suits and extra-firm hair gel. Come on dude, you have enough suits and your hair already looks great. Let us kids eat our respectably-sized chicken tenders
  3. Vanderbilt wants to revamp the underground tunnels in order to breed more squirrels in high-tech labs (I know, I know, cliché squirrel joke)

“Please, Sir, I want some more” – Oliver Twist

Now, let me say that I understand COVID-19 has taken a toll on monetary and creative resources. I understand and empathize with campus dining that it isn’t easy, but I am also not asking for a three-star Michelin meal. I literally just want to order eat a sufficient meal without having to beg for more rice in my Fresh Mex bowl or something other than dry chicken and oversaturated pasta. I also want to be paying a respectable price for these dining services. I want to be able to walk into a dining hall and just get a sandwich or chicken tenders. Please, Vandy Campus Dining, if you’re reading this, please just give us more food. We are getting hangry.

Easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint while on campus

by Leave a Comment

People who don’t care about trying to preserve a healthy environment are idiots. I hope that by now everyone is aware of the planet’s climate crisis and have some desire to create positive change. Serious effects of climate change are very much present today and are extremely difficult to face, especially as humans’ selfish natures and private interests catalyze the environmental devastation.

Even if us privileged and capable Vanderbilt attendees are not the ones finding solutions, the least we can do is try to reduce the problems. Listed below are some very easy actions you can take to reduce your negative impact on the climate.

  • Turn off lights. This is not difficult, guys. When you leave a room for more than five minutes turn off the lights. Most often this pertains to your dorm room, but it also pertains to bathrooms. Whenever you finish a shower go ahead and turn off the lights. Especially with covid shrinking the person to bathroom ratios, it might be a while before the next person comes in and needs to shower.
  • Stop getting a plastic bag with every meal at the dining hall! Ok yeah, the bags* say compostable but a) Just because they say they’re compostable doesn’t mean they actually get composted. I’m pretty sure most people just throw the bags in the trash. b) Even if something is composted, its lifespan still requires energy. Energy in manufacturing and energy in transportation and energy in transporting it to composting/other site. Here are some things to do instead:
    • 1) get one of the free reusable bags Vanderbilt munchies offer.
    • 2) reuse one of the large paper bags some dining halls offer.
    • 3) just don’t use a bag. A lot of the time, you’re not walking a great distance to where you’re going to sit down and eat. If you’re walking straight out of Rand to the dining tent, I have a sneaking suspicion you very likely don’t need the bag.
    • *note, specifically referencing the “compostable” plastic bags in Commons dining. The idea of reduced bags applies to all bags, though.

The phrase Reduce, Reuse, Recycle lists the steps in a specific order. Guard against the false comfort of the thought that oh, this can be recycled, so it’s fine. Your first thought should be to Reduce your use.

  • Reuse utensils. The plastic of new utensils at every meal adds up fast. Try reusing the plastic utensils you’re given. It’s not a bad idea to wash them consistently and keep reusing them. When the kind dining staff hands you your food and starts to hand you utensils it’s easy to just say thank you, I don’t actually need the utensils.
  • Bring a reusable water bottle. Yes, plastic is definitely worse than aluminum in terms of environmental damage, but the manufacturing of aluminum still has some impact. It’s totally understandable that you won’t always have a water bottle with you, but make an effort to bring a reusable water bottle with you. A can for just one drink of water is kind of silly.
  • A few other points include:
    • use the munchie mart paper bags as trash bags #AvoidThePlastic
    • take shorter showers
    • hang dry small loads of clothes in your room (hang things to dry on spare hangers)
    • eat less meat (meat, especially beef, production has a HUGE carbon footprint)

Readers please note that even if you are not immediately threatened by climate change others are experiencing its devastation first hand. There are fires burning homes, rain forests, and animals. There are hurricanes destroying towns. There are extreme droughts that lead to famine in areas already ridden with poverty. Get out of your bubble and try to be part of the solution.

Opinion: Paper Towelgate

by

We need paper towels in bathrooms on Commons. Our only option is to use questionable hand dryers that release a stream of air only slightly more powerful than that of a senior citizen blowing out birthday candles. Vanderbilt must act swiftly and place paper towel dispensers in every bathroom on Commons.

“Paper Towelgate”, the lack of paper towel dispensers in dorms on Commons, Vanderbilt’s first-year living program, must be addressed now. One does not realize how useful paper towels are until they are missing when you need them most. Any small spill or any time a towel is forgotten when hands or a face are washed, students on Commons are forced to make the embarrassing walk back to their room to get a towel. 

Hand dryers have been criticized for spewing bathroom germs back onto the user’s hands. According to a recent study, in lab settings, hand dryers were shown to facilitate the growth of bacteria in petri dishes. Personally, I wash my hands in the hopes of making them clean, so the idea of having bacteria sprayed onto my hands every time I use the restroom is rather off-putting. 

Hygiene is important everywhere, but it is especially important in first-year college dorms, such as those on Commons. With hundreds of students from different places all using the same facilities and spending time with each other almost every day, proper hand washing is a first-year student’s best defense from sickness. According to a study from the Mayo Clinic Proceedings journal,“paper towels can dry hands efficiently, remove bacteria effectively, and cause less contamination of the washroom environment. From a hygiene viewpoint, paper towels are superior to electric air dryers. Paper towels should be recommended in locations where hygiene is paramount…”

Personally, I am afraid that the poor hand dryers found in bathrooms on Commons could facilitate the passage of illnesses from student to student. Maybe hand dryers are to blame for “Commons Plague,” the yearly round of sickness that affects many first-year students at Vanderbilt. So the question remains: Is Vanderbilt potentially compromising our health?

I can only assume that Vanderbilt’s hand dryer woes are the result of their continued efforts to make our campus greener by reducing paper product waste. While I wholeheartedly agree with this mission and respect Vanderbilt’s moves to decrease waste where they can, I still cannot reconcile their choice to not place paper towels in dorms on Commons. 

Paper towels can actually be helpful for the environment if disposed of properly. Although they cannot be recycled, they can be composted. Stanford Health Magazine notes that “the bacteria or food on them will break down during the composting process. If an airport, public building or school already has a composting program, it should not be too much trouble to place collecting bins in restrooms.” If Vanderbilt were to introduce receptacles for disposal that could later allow paper towels to be composted in the already existing composting program in the Commons dining hall, we could minimize the wastefulness of the towels, and even minimize the energy usage required to power the hand dryers (even if they are barely powered). 

Upon moving into Commons, it will become almost immediately apparent that “Paper Towelgate” must be solved. I am calling for immediate introduction of hand towel dispensers in every bathroom in every dorm on Commons, with an appropriately labeled composting receptacle to go with it. No longer should students on Commons suffer with inadequate hand dryers. Every day that we are silent is another day that no action is taken, and another one of our fellow first-years could be exposed to potentially dangerous bacteria.  

The time for justice in the form of paper towels is now.