No university is perfect and never will be, but it is nice to dream. Here are some wishes I have as a college student:
24-hour meal service
Sometimes I get hungry at odd hours and would prefer not to have to hike to my car, nor spend money.
No stink bugs!
Room and board is ridiculously expensive, so it would be great if I didn’t have to share my room with dozens of disgusting bugs.
Spacious rooms
Most of the time we do not get what we pay for. Sometimes I think it would be more worth the money to rent an apartment where everyone could have their own room, a kitchen and joint living area, than live in a walk-in closet with one other person.
Control of the temperature
The heat is intense. I get that it is cold outside, but there is no need for me to sweat doing homework in my room. The only time the heater seems to turn off is when I open the windows, and then my room becomes a tundra. There is no in-between.
Dorm delivery
This might be a bit excessive, but pizza places deliver, so why don’t universities? You have to admit it would be very convenient when you’re up late studying and get a bit hungry, or are in the middle of an online test and simply cannot leave your room. Who wants to listen to their stomach holler at them for two hours?
Immediate, walk-in tech service
Tech services on campuses can be very helpful and convenient, if you aren’t in any big hurry for your tech problem to be solved. I get that some issues take longer to fix, but waiting three days for a problem that takes 30 seconds to fix is a bit unnecessary. If I take the time to show up at tech services in person, then the problem should be taken care of right then, like Geek Squad in Best Buy.
Useful advisors
Campuses are filled with professors, all of whom are knowledgeable in their subject areas, but not all of them make for good academic advisors. Every student deserves somebody who knows the general graduation criteria AND the requirements and prerequisites for their major. It also would help if the advisor knew when the courses were offered and in which order they should be taken. Some professors are excellent advisors for these reasons, and others should just stick with teaching.
Course communication
If courses are not going to be offered in both the fall and spring, or only on odd or even years, then it should be well known to all students and the classes should stick to this schedule. For example, if class A is offered in the fall of even years, then if should remain this way throughout this courses duration, unless it begins to be offered every semester. Changing when classes are offered midway through a student’s college career throws off their entire degree plan.
I doubt that there is a university on the planet that has all of these wishes, but they aren’t too much to ask for. Maybe colleges can slowly develop this list with any extra money it may have.
