AFTER the peaceful respite Thanksgiving afforded from the pell-mell pace of this past semester, I returned to Grounds with renewed steely resolve. Ready to grind through a couple of weeks of course evaluations and barely-relevant in-class movies, I strode boldly to class on the first Monday back with new motivation, only to hit a snag before even making it to the building.
It was right around Garrett Hall that I began to notice some of the tell-tale warning signs: pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks leading to the Lawn was unusually thick, and the air was cluttered with the jarring combination of pop music and shouting voices. As I walked on, I realized the source of the trouble. Apparently, the promoters of social activism and campus participation had been gearing up for these last remaining days on Grounds, too. The stretch of walk between Garrett and Cabell is littered with tables and pamphlets advertising even the most obscure events and causes this University has to offer, and with the frenzy of Christmas spirit in the air, "Altruism Alley" has become a real detriment for both students and volunteers alike.
The spot is a popular one with all manner of student groups on Grounds because of the heavy traffic it receives, and though there always seems to be at least one a-cappella table at the intersection, more groups than ever before are grabbing up that prime real estate and making life just a little bit more irksome as the Christmas season gathers steam.
The Alley may offer a well-traveled route for groups to advertise on, but the tables and volunteers that work them often choke the sidewalk with an unnecessary amount of traffic. "It's really frustrating to walk through there," complains Kate Dibble, a second-year in the College. "It gets kind of awkward with people in your face." The sidewalk is narrow as it is, and the addition of three or four brightly-decorated tables and ten students hawking everything from "Save Darfur" t-shirts to Shakespeare productions makes the normally-heavy pedestrian traffic impassable at times. The increase in tables since Thanksgiving break has compounded the congestion quite a bit, and the area is now a veritable obstacle for students on their way to classes.
The nuisance students are presented with by this impasse on the sidewalks is a considerable one, but others pay the consequences of overcrowding at well. As Altruism Alley becomes busier with additional pamphlet-pushers, more and more students are seeking alternate routes around what has become an overwhelming gauntlet. Says Dibble, "Sometimes I take the road near West Range, or even walk all the way around by Bryant. Totally worth it."It is a bit of a paradox; the heavy foot traffic is what brings the cause-supporters in, but the inconvenience they present is enough to drive students away.
Groups that recognize this issue have adapted and have moved to quieter areas. Toys for Tots is one such group; they have set up a table near a bus stop on McCormick Road and have created a less stressful situation in which to ask for support from passers-by. Instead of fading into the fog of donation demands and Christmas music that currently characterize Altruism Alley, groupspositively distinguish themselves by moving away from this swarming intersection.
Furthermore, the manner in which the organization's volunteers proclaim their philanthropic wares to the students that pass makes for negative results. To be sure, these causes and concerns benefit from the increase in exposure that tables and posters afford, but the line between diligent advertisement and obnoxious promotion is being toyed with daily at Altruism Alley. When students decline to interact with the people promoting social awareness, they are often met with flippant remarks.
I have personally experienced this on several occasions; after politely refusing an offer to register to vote the other day, I was accused of hating democracy. That particular comment was obviously made in jest, but the point here is salient: endorsement often gets abrasive in such situations, and the irritation that the Alley entails actually taints the perception of the various causes being promoted there. When these volunteers criticize students for turning them down, they evoke a defensive attitude that cripples their own effectiveness.
As exams approach, the environment around Grounds is becoming increasingly stressful. Coupled with Altruism Alley's newfound holiday intensity, things could get out of hand. A change in the way organizations promote activity and holiday selflessness around Grounds would alleviate both this mounting annoyance and actually serve to augment the success and reach of the causes themselves. Tables should be set up throughout Grounds, not just in areas with acute traffic pressure. If none of the groups want to move away from the Alley, perhaps the school could institute a schedule of time slots, giving groups different times for promotion in the area to which they must adhere. Altruism Alley is an great place to promote a cause, but a reevaluation of its impact upon students and organizations alike would do wonders to assuage the stress if not the traffic.
David Infante's column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at dinfante@cavalierdaily.com.
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