Red Square: The Center of Western Washington University Student Life
Red Square: The Center of Western Washington University Student Life
Red square is an influential place in the history and function of Western Washington University. Red square is located in the middle of campus. It contains beautiful red bricks and a breath-taking fountain. Its intricate architecture reveals its beauty. It functions as a meeting place for friends or clubs, a safe place for studying or expressing oneself, and an iconic figure at Western. As a freshman at WWU, my goal is to convince you (an incoming freshman) to view red square as one of the rarest gems on campus.
Red square is one of the most prominent, well-known places on the campus of Western. Red square has many strengths as well as shortcomings. A few of red square’s strengths include its centrality on campus, its large space, and its beauty.
First, red square’s biggest strength is its centrality on campus. Red square is surrounded by many important academic buildings. These buildings include Frasier hall, Humanities, Bond hall, and Miller hall. All of these buildings help to serve the purpose of educating students in the best possible manner by providing a comfortable and safe place to learn different subjects and material. Instead of feeling overwhelmed with not knowing where your classroom is located next year, you can feel more comfortable knowing that your class is by red square.
These buildings are highlighted by red square. Red square is central to these buildings. In fact, I would argue that red square will make you feel more comfortable while attending these buildings. It provides a sense of community and a safe-haven for you and other incoming freshman.
I found a good article written in the Western Front about red square. The writer of the article in the Western Front wrote,”while many may be unaware of the history that resides beneath their feet, red square maintains a silent legacy that has been passed on over generations and only continues to grow as each new group of students takes its steps through Western’s campus.” (WF, 2) Red Square is also home to the info fair, which will provide you with information about clubs and organizations at Western. You can learn about opportunities and meet other students who are interested in their passions. In essence, red square will play a huge part in your life! It will be an influential part in your everyday life. The second strength of red square is its large space. Since red square is so large, it allows enough space for many clubs and groups to meet. In fact, some of the upper level classes(which have fewer students) meet outside in red square when the weather is sunny and warm. Red square contains many benches, which allows for friends to meet and for students to have study groups. Its large size also allows for easy access by emergency vehicles and police. Safety is extremely important to Western Washington University. Since red square is so large and contains many buildings, there are many students who pass through red square. This large space allows for emergency vehicles. As a student, I am glad that in case of an emergency, authorities would be there to help and assist in a timely manner. Since red square is so large, it allows for animals to roam around. An example of this was seen in 1969 when there was a petting zoo at red square. In fact, one of the animals there was a horse! (WWU History Twitter) Who knows what will happen in the upcoming years at red square, especially since it is so large!
Another strength of red square is its beauty. Red square contains a large fountain, called Fisher Fountain. During the fall and spring, this beautiful fountain gives students a great view of water sprouting up from its’ depths. Its beauty is seen by everyone. My assistant soccer coach Conner Moe said,”red square is a beautiful place that helps students feel more comfortable at Western.” Another iconic feature are red square’s beautiful trees, which are close to the buildings. These trees help to provide beauty to red square. However, the most beautiful aspect of red square are its bricks. These bricks have a very historical feel and provide students with a place to walk. Although these bricks can be faulty(later discussed in red square’s shortcomings), these bricks provide beauty to red square.
Red square also has a couple of shortcomings. These shortcomings include the constant issue that the bricks provide and poor irrigation.
The first shortcoming of red square is the constant issue that the bricks provide. The red bricks in red square are always needing to be replaced. As I was writing in my journal, there was a group of workers who were working on digging up old bricks and replacing them with new bricks. This proves to be an issue for students because they have to walk in a roundabout fashion to classes due to some areas being roped off. The bricks also can prove to be unstable. As the bricks get old and water seeps underneath them, they become loose and unstable to walk on. These bricks, if not replaced properly, can even turn into a safety issue. In fact, red square got its’ name because of the red bricks (WT 1)!
The second shortcoming of red square is the issue of irrigation. Since Bellingham is in the upper left corner of the USA, it receives a lot of rain. When it rains a lot, puddles form in red square. In fact, there is a puddle that forms by the humanities building. This may not seem like a big deal, but when you don’t see the puddle and accidentally step in it, you’ll know why the irrigation is an issue. The irrigation issue is due to the improper formation of drainage (WF 1). The poor foundation of the bricks and poor irrigation can lead to a problem for students.
In conclusion, red square is a breathtaking aspect on the campus of Western Washington University. Red square provides a place for clubs and groups to meet. This square also plays a central role in the beauty of Western. As a student, I love sitting in red square and observing what is around me. Red square allows me to take a break from that day and just focus on beauty and the blessings I have. Although red square has issues like unsteady bricks and poor irrigation, red square is a key figure at Western. I hope you are able to see the amazing aspects of red square and enjoy your experience at Western next year!
