Students should be concerned with image, safety of campus
Recently, I was asked by a foreign exchange student if all of the cities in South Carolina were as dirty as Columbia. This was an offensive and border-line rude comment at the time, but it was easy to brush off and was easily forgotten. However, no matter if you are a native to South Carolina or not, there is no denying that this campus is not at its peak.
Mangled beer cans, energy drinks and food trash seem to cover up the ground more than grass does in some parts of Columbia. Granted, waste seems to be doubled and tripled during football season and after major holidays, but this brings into question why anyone, South Carolinians included, would ever deface this beautiful state, regardless of occasion. During football season we are directed to be idyllic representatives of our school as individuals in the face of our opposition, but a part of the framework that makes up our appeal as the University of South Carolina is the natural beauty of our city and campus.
Outside of football season, the importance of our city demands that we stay committed to cleanliness. The Republican primary put our city on the national scene as candidates moved from place to place — from downtown to across the river — exposing Columbia to the national eye. Our city has challenges enough without issues of trash and litter adding to them, especially at a time when Columbia is pushed into the spotlight.
Recent news has brought this issue directly into focus. A fire in Currell this past week was caused by a lit cigarette, thrown away before it was completely put out. Litter does not just impact the image of this university; it can play a vital role in the very safety of our campus. This fire should really make us come together and discuss how we can play a part in maintaining the place we call home.
People come to our campus for the wealth of natural beauty, the hundreds of years of history and the emblematic architecture. However, the carelessness of students and staff on this campus is slowly destroying our livelihood. We need to have pride in our state and in our campus equally. How is South Carolina going to attract tourists if rogue-burning cigarettes wipe out buildings on campus? Instead of spending tuition money on refurbishing, rebuilding and remodeling, should the university not spend the money on more places to dispose of waste? Campus police could step in to really enforce anti-littering laws to their fullest extent. The university could spend money on new trash cans or cooler places to put out your cigarette.
Even after all of these, the root of the problem stems from us. We are the only people who can control the well-being of our campus. Hopefully the university can attempt to magnify the importance of beauty and pride in South Carolina, so students would think before they flick their ashes into a bed of leaves, or before they throw a Bud Light in the gutter.