Wishes are typically made by blowing out birthday candles, calling upon stars or dropping pennies in a fountain — but now, I’m making some in a college newspaper.
Most wishes haven’t panned out for me, like how I’ve wished to be taller than 5-foot-8 ever since eighth grade. Hence, the following ideas are my wishes of things the college should add to campus.
Reopen the Ithaca College Ski Slope: Imagine walking out of class, zipping up a tow rope next to Boothroyd Hall and ripping down trails on a toboggan in the Ithaca College Natural Lands. This whole time, the Cayuga Lake and Cornell University would be in view. Doesn’t that just sound like a good commercial? Think about it. The slope was constructed in 1961 and stayed open until around 1973 when the college decided it was too troublesome to maintain. Apparently, the remains of the rope tow are still on the same path as the original slope. If the college were to rebuild it, it would need to flatten some trees, buy a new rope and machinery and hire staff to work it during daylight hours. It’s simple, and given the college’s tuition, there has to be wiggle room to buy a tow rope and some insurance.
Put a logo on Higgins Stadium: Don’t get me wrong, Higgins Stadium is really nice, but it’s a slab of turf and painted lines. Without a midfield logo, or even a small logo on the sidelines, there is no sense of Bomber ownership of the field. Any opposing team can come onto the turf and claim it as its own field. A logo would illustrate possession — that “You’re in Ithaca College’s house now” vibe. If you don’t believe this is common practice, look at New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, who had the Seattle Seahawks logo painted on the Saints’ practice field to prepare for his team’s playoff game in Seattle back in January. Stamping a logo would assert team pride, and walking onto a field with the college’s shield would reiterate who and what its teams represent.
Promote ice sports at the college: This one is more costly than the prior two, but the idea is still awesome. If the college built a rink, more hockey players and figure skaters of all skill levels would come. Because we live in an icy tundra, ice sports are popular in Ithaca. More students and faculty could skate and play hockey during the week without having to make the trek off campus to Cass Park or The Rink in Lansing, N.Y. On a semi-related note, it would be a travesty to let college pass by without attending a Cornell hockey game.
Add equestrian as a varsity sport: This is pretty self-explanatory here. Go online and read last week’s featured sports article in The Ithacan for more information. The team deserves it, and now is the time to saddle up.
