<sday evening, I was denied entry into Burton Dining Hall. Slung around my shoulder was my reliable 6” x 10” x 2” yellow purse, completely equipped with buttons on the front flap and containing all of my most vital personal belongings. I was informed that before I could be swiped in, I would need to leave my purse behind. Needless to say, as any citizen aware of a line being crossed, I told the dining hall employee that this was a ridiculous policy and stormed away.
Since arriving back on campus in the winter, I have been flexible, if not somewhat disgruntled by the new dining management’s draconian policies of what we may and may not bring into the dining hall. I feel vulnerable and uncomfortable knowing my personal property, especially my laptop, must be left outside of my field of vision for an extended period of time, especially in light of the heightened awareness of theft in the dining halls at Carleton, both from NNB “Lost” ads and my friends. This is an instant when we are forced to relinquish our belongings to the fates and simply hope they still remain where we left them after we have finished eating.
Good for Bon Appetit at the beginning of this term, when they graciously posted paper signs on the cubbies that read: “Please take valuables with you.” On the list they include computers, music players, wallets and the likes. But this begs the question, “Gee, wouldn’t it be nice if we had a bag in which we could carry all these items safely without hindering the functionality of the dining hall?”
Bon Appetit claims it is not responsible, Carleton claims it is not responsible, and while I am putting thousands of dollars in to both administrations’ hands each year, I am not allowed to be responsible. I am denied this right of protecting my personal property because someone is afraid I’ll steal half of a loaf of bread. This leaves me with three options:
1. Leave behind my belongings in the hands of higher powers while I eat (because the card swiper sure as hell isn’t watching)
2. Eat at the snack bar (which wouldn’t be able to handle the traffic if too many students were like-minded)
3. Eat at home (I’m off-campus, but many are not as lucky).
These policies are completely absurd. We are in college. We are learning how to be adults. We should not be treated like delinquents whom the administration is benevolently tolerating. We are this college, and it would be nice if we started to be treated like the ever-correct customers we truly are.
-Julia Walther is a third-year student