Running faucets, damaged lights and grimy mirrors — why does this sound awfully familiar? Oh, I know! It is the floor bathroom of every building of every community (except Mountainview College, those lucky bastards). While students on campus are combating absurd University policies or Sarah Palin (hopefully), I, on the other hand, am battling what is most common to Binghamton University students: the inconvenient loo.

For the past two years that I have lived in the dorms, there has been at least one ridiculous dilemma with the bathrooms. Toilets that are flushed will keep flushing, lights are never replaced if broken for the shower and actual faucet knobs are easily unscrewed from use. It is understandable that these malfunctions may take time to be fixed due to years of rust and overuse; however, it is inexcusable that they are never repaired during two school semesters. Another issue that arises is the waste of water. Since faucet knobs are not correctly attached and shower heads may not be working properly, water will continuously run, leaving running water or a puddle. Students also have had to use either one shower or one toilet or even one sink when there are several for the purpose of serving a multitude of students. It is not a pretty sight to see when fellow floormates twist their legs around anxiously, not due to exams but due to a full bladder.

We pay over $3,000 each semester for dorms, which includes the restroom facilities. I am not expecting returning students to exclaim, “Have you seen our floor bathroom? Don’t you love the crimson carpeting and classical music?” However, I do expect sinks to be connected to the wall and shower heads to work. Although I am undeniably grateful to the University for providing someone who cleans them on a regular basis, is it impossible for the maintenance to be just as efficient? This may seem like a minute problem, but it is not only limited to the bathrooms. Handles being jiggled off dorm doors, as well as broken blinds, emphasize how poor maintenance is in our dormitories.

Another infuriating observation is that the University can take time and money to renovate the Old University Union and Newing College residence halls, but cannot resolve simple problems that students have within their bathrooms. Even though beautifying the campus does attract incoming freshmen, it does not please returning students. I have never seen tours being led inside dormitory bathrooms (besides Mountainview, again, lucky bastards), but outside where everything is laid out perfectly for future prospects.

I complain not because I can, but because the bathroom is my sanctuary; I poop, I shower and I brush my teeth in it. I am forced to socialize in it. Therefore, yearning for a functional bathroom cannot be too much to ask. It just needs to be adequate enough for these daily rituals. Perhaps setting fire to it will stir some form of restoration. Hey, it worked for the Dickinson Dining Hall.