My name is Sean Rose, and I’m a proud alumni of the University of Connecticut (CLAS 09). But more importantly, I’m a proud alumni of the University of Connecticut who lived in Towers. And I’d like to take a moment to respond to a letter you recently published by one Stephen Winchell (CLAS 08), a fellow alumni who recently sent you an ill-worded screed about us former Towers residents being “haughty, cavalier braggarts.” This is typical slander from a typical West boor, and I’d like to clear this up once and for all.
Yes, Towers residents take a certain pride in their top notch living quarters, as mentioned by Mr. Winchell – its comfortable facilities, its amazing dining hall, its beautiful view of Horsebarn Hill. Surely, they want for nothing. But this does not make them holier-than-thou fusspots. Rather, the lack of facilities in West turns its residents into bitter, jealous complainers, which Mr. Winchell’s letter clearly demonstrated.
Think about it. West has no dining hall. No grab ‘n go. Barely any study rooms. Only has one meager, barren common area outside. Almost no parking. Heck, I’m not even sure it has a mail room! And its “convenient location” in the heart of campus only makes things worse. West residents hang their sad heads out their windows, gazing at the bigger and better facilities all around them: McMahon, Alumni, South. They see their dining halls, their large and spacious common areas, their ultra-convenient grab ‘n gos, and a chilling bitterness grows in their hearts. They grouse and they whine about what they can never have. And then they lash out, by writing letters like Mr. Winchell’s. Pathetic!
You won’t find this jealousy or hostility in Towers, where students live in supreme comfort, away from the hustle and bustle of the center of campus. Surely, Mr. Winchell’s accusations are unfounded and ridiculous – to insinuate that any Towers resident would care enough to even think about West Campus, let alone “sneer and belittle” its residents, is giving his precious trash dump far too much credit. (Not to mention that no decent Towers resident would dare be in the same room as a West resident, let alone attend a party with them!)
I hope this clears things up. To put it bluntly, Towers is a Treasure. And West is a Waste.
Thanks so much,
Sean Rose
CLAS, 09