Unless you live under a rock behind Delurey Hall or some other corner of campus, you probably joined in the festivities that we call NovaFest this past weekend. You also probably made your way over to West Campus and, like I did, chose a spot on one of the green areas. NovaFest is a great time to try and forget about the massive amount of work that is just piling up and to “socialize” with your fellow Villanovans, but it doesn’t mean that you have to trash our campus. I bet you thought I was going to say that Radnor Township Police was the Buzz Kill this weekend, but they weren’t. Their slow advance onto the volleyball field at 5 p.m. was a tad bit annoying, and the Public Safety officer with the single bullhorn was even more annoying and ineffective, but the trash all over the place is one of the most disguisting things I have ever seen.

It all started when I needed to take the elevator from the third floor of St. Clare Hall to the first floor to pick up some visiting friends. When I returned about 10 minutes later, the elevator was completely thrashed. Some upstanding Villanova student decided to take a cake and smash it all over the elevator, leaving cake on the railing, on the elevator ceiling and all over the elevator buttons. I guess someone decided they didn’t want the tiramusi anymore, but they could have just dropped it off at my place. If I were on the custodial staff, I would just call in sick the entire week.

I don’t think I even have to mention the courtyards. It looked like West Campus was subject to a plague of red solo cups and Natty Light cans. I think the simple solution to this would be to place more trash cans on West Campus in anticipation of NovaFest. If you were around for NovaFest 2007, then you know West Campus was in the exact same state last year, not to mention that everyone barbeques on West Campus for NovaFest. So why not put in extra trash cans for the influx of garbage? That seems like a simple solution, but it still hasn’t ocurred for whatever reason. How about next year we put in extra trash cans?

Now let’s talk about the doors to the buildings. Jackson Hall is missing a main entrance because some stellar student decided that the doors didn’t need hinges anymore. If the University decides to cancel NovaFest next year, I wouldn’t be suprised. I’m not in opposition to NovaFest – I mean who doesn’t love Sean Kingston and Brand New at one concert in the same building at the same time – but let’s pretend we care about our campus. I don’t understand how – at a place where you have to fill out an application for everything and where the thing to do is community service – we can’t even take care of our own community.

The warning e-mail from Dean Pugh didn’t help much, but we shouldn’t need an e-mail to remind us of what a great place Villanova is and the ideals that all Villanovans should live up to.

The staff at Villanova are people just like us, except they have bills to pay and families to take care of. I don’t think they really appreciate having to come in to work on Monday morning and clean a bunch of trash or take the couch out of the elevator in Moulden Hall and putting it back in the study lounge where it belongs. Don’t get me wrong, I love NovaFest just as much as the next person… who doesn’t like watching people make complete fools out of themselves? The kids who decided the dumpster outside of Klekotka Hall needed to be set on fire need a lesson from Smokey the Bear. But, kudos to the student who decided to put it out and the Club Ultimate Frisbee Team for attempting to clean the fields. How about this summer we practice putting solo cups in trash cans and recycling beer cans? I mean, it wouldn’t hurt us, and it would look really good on your part when your employer decides to throw PricewaterhouseCoopersFest. Have a great summer, everyone!