By MICHAEL PROMES

As most SDSU students have surely noticed, the campus is undergoing a bit of construction this year. This has made walking around campus more challenging, especially for those living in the southeast dorms. Being one of those students and living in Pierson Hall for the second consecutive year, I have had to make significant changes to the way that I function around campus.

My first impression of the area, as I pulled up to unload my belongings, was the new building that now rivals Pierson’s north wing. It looked out of place since there was nothing there when I had left campus for the summer. I also couldn’t help but notice that the street that was once directly in front of Pierson is now a series of walkways. For trips back home this will make loading and unloading my car longer and rather inconvenient. I am also disappointed in the change in scenery around Pierson. The lush grass, shady trees and convenient walking paths that once surrounded the residence hall are now dirt, large trucks and a line of seemingly never endless fences. A quick trip to The Union for my morning coffee is now a journey around the mass of construction. Since Pierson Hall is located right in the middle of the construction project, there is also the issue of the noise. Fortunately, I am a very heavy sleeper, but my roommate is not so lucky. Since we’ve lived in Pierson, he has complained every morning about the loud bangs and incessant beeping of the trucks working right outside our window. I am sure other residents are noticing the noise as well.

While the construction around Pierson may seem horrible, I tend to try to look at the glass half-full. Residents of Pierson received the option of an exclusive meal plan, which is significantly more inexpensive than even the cheapest standard meal plan. These residents and others in neighboring halls also receive free parking in the large south-east parking lot. All of this to balance out the inconveniences of the current construction, which, for me, was enough to give Pierson another shot this year. For those residing in the Pierson area dorms: bear with the noise and roadblocks, make the best of the inconvenience. It is annoying, but it saved some students money.