As my time at the University comes to a close, I’ve noticed that Grounds is full of sounds that blend together to create a soundscape of the college experience. If you’re reading this on Grounds, chances are you’re hearing at least one of these sounds. While some sounds certainly bring more joy than others, let’s take a moment to reflect on what makes the University an orchestral delight.
1. The banging of construction
You might think that the incessant construction around Grounds impairs my ability to study, sleep or otherwise hear my own thoughts, but construction noises have become akin to white noise for me. I feel a sense of comfort as I walk by a construction zone with banging, drilling and machinery running at full force. Passing the construction near McIntire on my way to class makes me feel at home, and I revel in the promise of the new buildings.
2. Chapel bells on the top of each hour
I am continuously surprised by the force of the University Chapel’s bells — you can hear them from just about anywhere — and I enjoy hearing the commemoration of another passing hour. The bells are a beautiful noise that floats around Grounds and makes me feel connected to the University community.
3. That tour group whispering while being paraded through the library
I can’t decide who I feel worse for — the prospective students and their families awkwardly navigating the library during the busiest time of the semester, or the students who become museum exhibits during an admissions tour. But I do especially feel for the students who must endure the disruptive whispers of a tour as they try to study — which are somehow more disruptive than full-volume conversations.
4. Sirens — please, not another emergency
The perks of having the University hospital so close is always having an array of sirens around us. The blaring siren of an ambulance or a fire truck is normal around here. I used to not think twice about the cacophony of sirens, but after the past few weeks we’ve had here, I am immediately checking for emergency alerts after having cop cars fly past me on the way to class.
5. “Wait to cross JPA at Brandon Avenue”
I love the extra emphasis put on the word “wait” on the prerecorded message that calls out after hitting a crosswalk button. It feels like someone physically emerging from the machine to hold me back from crossing the street. Rest assured — I follow these instructions with the utmost respect, even when a herd of people pass me and start crossing while the red hand is still displayed.
6. Grubhub tickets flying out of the machine
I don’t have the words to describe this peculiar noise that arises from a Grubhub ticket printing. The intensity of the pitch only increases during peak lunch hours, a manifestation of the chaos of lunchtime around Grounds. I could recognize this noise anywhere, and it instantly brings me back to my first-year self in Rising Roll waiting for a veggie wrap sandwich.
7. Whatever is blaring through the headphones of everyone on Grounds
Students love their playlists and podcasts, and I rarely see anyone walking around Grounds without something in their ears. I would be remiss to omit this from a list about the sounds on Grounds because, although listening with headphones is an individual experience, there’s always someone with tech wrapped around their ears. The noise-cancelling feature offers an added bonus, tuning out the omnipresent construction and emergency sirens.
8. Bus doors opening and closing
Those who travel down JPA know that the opening and closing of bus doors sounds like a creature exhaling a deep breath and then inhaling again when the doors close. In fact, when bus doors open, the bus seems to physically drop towards the street with a puff of emission-fueled air. This noise is a reminder of everyone around Grounds with places to be and people to see, making the University a hub of excitement.
9. Heavy-handed typing on laptops
In a library, a classroom or even a hallway, multiple people are typing away on their laptops with force and dedication. The speed at which the keys are being hit elicits a productive noise, but also provokes curiosity. Is this person trying to finish up a paper before class, or are they beefing with someone over text? I may never know — unless I happen to sit behind them in lecture.
10. Someone claiming that they really need to “lock in”
The need to “lock in” is seemingly about as essential as the need to breathe. How many times has someone said that they need “lock in” to study or finish that project, only to fall down a TikTok rabbit hole? I’m certainly guilty of proclaiming my intention to “lock in” before beginning to do anything other than the task at hand. But I promise this time, I really mean it — I’m locking in right now.
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