After spending more hours at the White Building than in my own house, I decided that I should have seen the warning signs – the extra shifts picked up, the uncomfortable adjustment to the warm/cold air that fluctuates between the different hallways and all of the interesting people that flow in and out of the building. I should have seen that one day I’m just going to bring a sleeping bag and establish residency in the White Building.
It’s definitely an experience working in the White Building – an experience that you come to have a love-hate relationship with. But at the end of the day, you know that the White Building is truly some place you feel safe. For anyone who is in this building as much as I am, you understand.
Here’s looking at you, White Building!
1. The regular faculty knows your name
This is how you know it’s real. The faculty start recognizing you and suddenly you start having conversations about baseball, what is on TV right now and who’s winning the basketball game. It’s great because you know that on the most boring of nights, you always have someone to talk to!
2. You know where the lost and found is
Many people walk in and ask if you know where the lost and found is. Without hesitation, you give them directions to 117 White Building for them to retrieve that lost backpack that they left behind on Thursday.
3. You have timing down to a science
When boys come in to play pickup basketball, you know exactly how many minutes they have until a team is coming to use the gym. This is helpful when a herd of boys waltz into the White Building looking to play a long pickup game. You simply smile and tell them at 5:26 p.m. that they have exactly 24 minutes to play before club basketball will be using both courts.
4. You know where the Squash Courts are
This is a good one because the Squash Courts often get overlooked since they are hidden in the back of the White Building, down the stairs, through a door and down another set of stairs. And they are used for so much more than just squash. I’ve seen boxing, dance lessons, personal yoga instruction and even RAM Squad practicing down in these hidden gems of the White Building.
5. You can accurately locate all of the places to hide if a zombie apocalypse was happening
This one was told to me by one of the people that work at the White Building. He told me that since this building is solid concrete (which is also why there’s no Wi-Fi in half the building) that it is probably one of the safest places to hide in if anything was to happen. Just go down to the Squash Courts – room 50 and 51 are usually a safe bet!
6. When you walk through the halls, you know you’ll always find a familiar face
This is my favorite because nothing makes a bad day better than a friendly hello. Whether it is a player on a team, a fitness instructor or just a friend going to work out, walking through the halls and hearing a nice, “Hey!” always makes my day.
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