Red Square: The Multipurpose Room of Western
For anybody like me, a new student at Western Washington University, it does not take long to see that Red Square is the place to go to have a good time. After finding your way to the campus located in Bellingham, a small town in the top right of Washington state, taking a brief walk from North campus past the Viking common, through the beautiful Old Main lawn and past the humanities building you emerge into a massive social melting pot in the very center of the school. The square gets its name from the red bricks that paint the floor of the area. In the center sits a fountain with benches that serve as a place to sit and enjoy the beautiful square. On the outside of the square are picnic tables that serve as a seating spot for social outings, for studious young adults catching up on class work or to enjoy a quick meal before class. The empty space in between the benches and the fountain serve many functions including a space for students to pass through to get from class to class or to meet new people. I enjoy using the space to study and to chat with friends before class. As a new student it was easy to see that the square can suit almost any purpose that it needs to.
As you break through the threshold from Old Main into Red square you do not only see a new collection of walls, trees and art but also feel a new atmosphere. Where Old Main’s purpose is more of a hallway to transport you to your next class, walking into the lively Red square makes you want to sit down and soak in the electrifying vibe of your classmates and to have a conversation with a stranger. To most people sitting and working on the benches, the social people are not distracting, as the quietly work on their assignments or read a book.
The square serves many purposes well. For people wanting to sit and eat there are benches that are perfect for eating at. Also the benches work well for a student working on homework or a group of friends talking. Other social students can sit around the fountain or stand anywhere in the square. Also students can use the square as a walk way to get from class to class or to anywhere else on campus.
Sometimes the alarming amount of students may come as a distraction to someone passing along. The square may not be the quickest way to get from place to place if you are someone easily distracted by people wanting to talk. If you are late for a class the booming crowd will only slow you down but, in any other situation the square is a great place to converse and meet new people.
The Red Square conveniently placed in the center of Western Washington Unniversity is a perfect place for meeting with friends, studying or doing homework, relaxing and enjoying the day, grabbing a bite to eat or just about anything you want to use it for. The beautiful brick landscape is the heart of the college and is a place full of purpose.
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