"Any student who has attended Oswego State for as long as I have, which is say the last couple years, has seen change.
"And while no one who attends a school for their entire four-year degree is safe from some form of change on campus, the ‘11 and ‘12 graduating classes at Oswego State have been thrown into the midst of a whirlwind of transformations that we will never reap the benefits of.
"Everywhere I’ve walked for the last two weeks I’ve seen construction signs, caution tape and eerily-silent, freshly-laid pavement. I’ve passed parking lots shrouded in orange fences and buildings I’ve had classes in which are now mysteriously half-gone.
"It seems whenever the college unveils one new campus building they immediately break ground on another. But who shoulders the burden just so a new generation of students can benefit?
"It’s a tough sell, but it’s a necessary one. While we complain (and write editorials) about how hard it is to get excited about multi-million dollar additions to campus, we need to keep in mind this place would be stuck in the Stone Age without them.
"The graduating class of ’06 probably had similar feelings about the Campus Center, one of the largest construction projects in Oswego State history, and where would we be without it? Can you imagine still being cramped into Romney to watch hockey games? Can you imagine actually seeing someone in Hewitt who wasn’t going to the bookstore?
"These projects are essential to the growth of the college, the community and the quality of students who will attend Oswego State in the future. It’s easy to dismiss construction as inconvenient and a hassle; but we have to accept it as a necessary short-term evil. Someone will thank us later, as they suffer under the same burden.
"With changes to parking and the massive overhaul to science facilities planned soon, we all need to close our eyes at the sight of bulldozers and picture what it will look like, say, five years down the road. Let yourself live, if only for a second, in that spiritual Oswego, the Oswego that’s now fighting to be born.
"Since I know no one will actually do this, just think of what you wished Oswego State had when you first arrived on campus. Let’s say you’re a biology or education major (who make up about 50 percent of students here anyway, based on data I fabricated). Would massive state-of-the-art labs or technologically advanced "smart" classrooms be on your wish list? I think so.
"How about a place to actually park if you actually felt like showing up to class on time? I’ll check yes.
"The only way we can make this a reality is to suck up any vitriol we have for caution tape and regulations and try to think of the future. I know it’s tough to be altruistic when it comes to the college experience—for which we pay through the nose—but it really is the best thing for the college’s future.
"Also, don’t you want to be one of the disgruntled alums who returns to a completely updated campus only to crawl back to your favorite Bridge Street bar and complain about how much things have changed in Oswego since the "good old days?"
"If you’re looking for me five years from now, that’s where I’ll be.
