If there is one thing you can say about college students, it’s that they are persistent in their beliefs. And at this moment, those beliefs lie in a quicker path through campus.
Though the view is scenic, the walk to class for Mountainview College residents can be a minor inconvenience, as the aptly named community sits atop a hill. Since construction was completed in 2004, the primary route for resident traffic is the roundabout sidewalk leading up to Mountainview from the campus’ main road, adding a few precious minutes onto the time it takes to get to and from class. The paved pathway provides an indirect route up to Appalachian Dining Hall, wrapping around the visitor’s parking lot and Lot W, situated directly above. For students who are exiting the Lecture Hall, or coming from that general direction, it’s most convenient to walk right through these two lots and directly up the undeveloped hill instead of going around via the paved path.
Over the years, the shortcut has become a well-known timesaver, made evident in the warmer months by the beaten dirt path and this time of year by the countless snow tracks. The path is so well traveled that it can clearly be seen on Google’s satellite image of the community and even shows significantly more wear than the athletic field that lies directly next to it.
“I see way more people walking up that way than I see come down,” said John Shea, a sophomore majoring in psychology who works in the toll booth for the visitor parking lot below Mountainview.
Students often walk right past the booth as they make their way uphill.
“It’s kind of funny how this has become the more popular way to go,” Shea said.
Even though the trail isn’t an official walkway, nothing of significance has been done to prevent its usage. But at the crest of the incline lies an obstruction: a decidedly hopable fence. Through minor acts of vandalism, the fence seems to be consistently clipped and cut down just about every time it is repaired. Thanksgiving break marked the last time the fence was replaced, and as of now it remains surprisingly intact. The crossbar that horizontally spans the two posts acts as the perfect step for students going over the fence, and it is already bowing in the center as an indication of just how often people step over it.
“The status of that particular fence is an ongoing issue,” said Karen Fennie, a representative from Physical Facilities, the department in charge of campus repairs and maintenance. “Generally we have to repair it a couple times a year due to students damaging it without consent. If that happens again soon, it will be fixed as weather allows.”
The University’s repeated efforts to replace the fence despite an apparent resistance indicates that the issue is probably a safety concern. Use of the unsanctioned shortcut could end in an injury if someone were to fall. Because the path is so well traveled, the high volume of people presents a greater accident potential. Instead of condoning usage of the path by leveling and paving the slope beneath it, the University just repairs the fence when necessary.
In addition to safety and time concerns, there’s a certain charm that comes with using the shortcut. When there are puddles, students help each other cross from rock to rock. If you’re walking with a stranger, you can be sure that they will hold your coffee for you as you hop the fence.
“It’s just the quicker and more fun way to go,” a student said. “We’re still going to go this way even in the snow.”