Impressions of an Alumna
We were barely going to make it to the “kaffee klatch” talk of my former college’s president at a popular hangout on campus as part of the Alumni events. But I couldn’t just quickly walk in.
No. The university, in its infinite ignorance, (must we depend on the internet for everything?) just made it harder to get to park your vehicle on campus. The place by the bigger dining hall used to have parking meters. You know, those clunky metal contraptions you stuck a quarter or dime(s) in. But now, instead, every three feet or so are signs almost seven feet high (!) directing you to get to a certain website, register, and then pay.
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That was NO FUN. The supposedly FREE QR code scanner wanted a subscription and I had to find the right website in order to register my name and pay. Very invasive of my privacy!
Then, it showed I only had 58 minues left if I wanted to pay the minimum amount, and the talk would “probably” last beyond that. And it seemed it only gave me one other option, to put money in for seven hours. Well, we did want to come back later for the campus tour. So I paid around $15.00, thinking this day would be “special” for me somehow.
… I have to admit, the talk by the president was informative, especially the part about helping with rural health in our region, a category the federal government is going to hurt with Medicaid cuts (if they become permanent). But they are getting something like a Health Wagon to take to the southwest part of the state, so nurses can get practice helping in that region.
And I discovered on the campus tour, though no longer a student there, I could STILL use the recently opened recreation and wellness center, for a fee of $5.00 a day. And yes, I can use the exercise!
(D. J. Mathews is a former adjunct, current author and freelance writer/blogger. See more writing at www.writerdjmathews.com)
