Opinion: Revolving door revolts me (but we should use it)

By Lilly Kujawski
Editor

If you’re like me, you move through the world with an unbridled sense of urgency. I get an extra shot of espresso in my latte. I speed on the expressway. I’m so often late for things (meetings, classes, probably even my graduation ceremony) that I compensate with a fast, well-caffeinated pace.

If there’s one thing that really brings me to a halt in my day-to-day life, it’s the revolving door in the Student Center. I mean (insert Chandler from “Friends” voice), could it be any slower?

I practically trip over my own two feet when I try to walk through the revolving door—that’s how slowly I’m forced to step. Half the time, the doors don’t even start turning, so I am forced to feign speed and trick them into their sedated circulation again.

Some may argue the revolving doors offer students a chance to slow down, catch a breath, stop to smell the flowers and what-have-you. No offense, but I’d rather dictate for myself when I choose to take a breather, not be made as such on my way to a class for which I’m already 10 minutes late.

Even so, those of you nodding along in agreement so far may be surprised to hear that, despite the above grievances, I am, in fact, in support of the Student Center revolving door. The fact of the matter is that the overall benefits of the revolving door outweigh my personal inconvenience. For one, its primary function is intended as a sustainability measure on campus, according to Bill Ghrist, manager of energy and system integrations at WCC.

Revolving doors help to prevent air from leaking out of a building when people enter and exit. This helps conserve the energy used for heating and cooling, particularly in buildings with frequent door use, such as on a college campus, Ghrist said.

Another positive aspect of the revolving door is its ADA compliance, Ghrist said. There’s even a button on the door that slows the rotation to allow for wheelchair users to enter and exit the building.

Ghrist added that the standard speed of the door is set to accommodate the pace of all walkers, which is why it may seem too slow for some.

“The number one thing we’re trying to do is make it so all persons can pass through,” Ghrist said.

In hasty impatience, have you ever been tempted to push the door to move it faster (even though the sign says “don’t”)? Evidently, you’re not alone. Ghrist said he’s had to reset the door panel 40 or 50 times since the installation of the revolving door, due to people pushing on the doors.

I know in the past I’ve been guilty of sidestepping the revolving door in favor of the regular swinging doors on either side of it. You know—the ones that clearly state that they’re “for emergencies only.”

As I said before, the world moves at a rapid tempo, especially for a college student, and I’m often going at full speed. I, like many others, am at times inclined to cut corners and take a shortcut if it’ll save me a couple minutes. But maybe there is some truth in the old saying of how “slow and steady wins the race.”

Look, I’m not here to tell you to sit back and enjoy the ride that is life—I’d be a hypocrite to preach the “stop and smell the roses” rhetoric. I know you have deadlines to meet, tests to study for and a job to get to. However, I think we can all afford to slow down for a moment if it means contributing to some greater good.

Opting for the revolving door is a small effort. In the very big picture of climate change and environmental destruction, its impact is likely miniscule. But, conscious effort on any scale is a sure-footed step in the right direction (pun definitely intended), and we could really use some more of those in the world. So, next time you’re mission-bound and rushing through the Student Center, I urge you to find the patience in yourself to choose the revolving door; I pledge to do the same.

If nothing else, using the revolving door provides a slightly more creative excuse for tardiness than the overused “stuck in traffic” story.

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