There are some traditions here at the University of Virginia that are worth clinging to, but there are others that linger far too long.
When walking down the stairs of Clemons this morning, I encountered an old friend who has overstayed his welcome. Between the second and third floors of the library, patrons are met with the overwhelming smell of body odor and fear. The smell dissipates as you rise from the bowels of Clemons, but it seems to be imprinted in the walls and carpet of the second floor.
After four years of undergraduate study and a year away from Charlottesville, I thought the smell would have left. I understand that college is a time of lax hygiene, when shirts can have a few wears before they're truly dirty and November is a time of rampant facial hair growth, but I fear that scores of students' brain cells take a hit every time they inhale this odious scent. If nothing else, I suggest that the University invest in some sort of air fresheners. It can even be a marketable move - think Cavalier Chamomile or Virginia Violet.
Tom Kress\n EDUC, GRAD I