Rebert Renovations and Resentment: Why We Should Embrace Change
When I moved into my first-year dorm, Rebert Hall in August 2021, the first thing my mom said was, “This looks like a prison cell.” I was on the first floor in Rebert East, right next to the exit — room 142. There were two narrow windows that I never opened the shades of because they looked directly outside to a common hangout area. My room was maybe 6-feet-wide by 12-feet-long, and it had hideous lighting. At some point, someone who lived in my dorm shot a golf ball directly into my window and never confessed to it. I didn’t really care, though, because that golf ball-shaped hole in my window gave the room some much-needed ventilation. The room was dark and depressing, even in the spring.
So, you can imagine my immediate reaction in the spring of 2023 when I found out that St. Lawrence was investing money to upgrade residence halls, specifically Rebert. I was envious. Those feelings dissipated, and what replaced them was a feeling of happiness for the future students living in the place I once called home. Then — last week — when seeing the pictures of the upgraded ‘dirty south,’ those feelings of envy slowly returned.
Why did I not get this version of Rebert? Why did I get stuck with the foul-smelling common room with missing accessories, the tiny room with terrible lighting, and the bathroom that always made me feel slightly off? Who are these new students, and why do they deserve such nice housing? Why couldn’t future first years have to go through what I went through? Resentment for people I don’t even know and don’t even go to SLU yet, and SLU itself took up all too much space in my mind. Then, I realized that envy and resentment were a waste of my time. It’s valid to think about what could have been and be frustrated by experiences you may have missed, but you also should be able to move on and be happy for those who do get to experience certain things. This does not just apply to college dorms older than our parents, but life in general.
College is a transitional period in almost every sense. You become more independent, you learn to hold yourself accountable and you slowly become introduced to the real world and its workings. But it is not just transitional for you; the school you go to will also grow and change (hopefully) in the years that you attend it. Some changes are subtle, but others, like the Rebert upgrade, are immediate. Or as immediate as upgrading a college dorm can be.
You can choose to embrace these changes, or you can hold grudges against them and those they benefit from. There is no need for the first years at SLU to live in a building like Rebert. If we, as students, had it our way, all buildings across campus would be like Kirk or the new Rebert. But we can’t change the past, nor should we focus on it to a degree that it intrudes on our daily lives. This won’t get us anywhere. These changes are great not only for the incoming class of 2028 (what a weird number) but also for all of us.
In reflecting on my journey within Rebert Hall, I’ve uncovered a profound parallel between its evolution and the transformative nature of college life itself. Initially, my impressions were colored by its shortcomings – the cramped quarters, the lackluster amenities and the occasional inconveniences that seemed to define my experience.
Yet, as time passed and SLU embarked on a journey of renewal, I found myself caught in a whirlwind of emotions. The news of Rebert’s impending upgrade stirred within me a complex mix of emotions – from fleeting envy towards the future inhabitants who would enjoy improved living conditions to a sense of nostalgia for the trials and triumphs that had defined my own time within its walls.
However, amidst this tumultuous sea of feelings, a realization began to take root: harboring resentment towards progress is futile. As I grappled with this revelation, I recognized that change is an inevitable aspect of life – especially within the dynamic landscape of higher education. Just as college serves as a crucible for personal growth and transformation, so too do the institutions themselves undergo a process of evolution. It became clear to me that by embracing these changes and celebrating progress, we not only pave the way for a better experience for future generations but also honor the journey that has brought us to this point.
Indeed, my time in Rebert has taught me the invaluable lesson of embracing the present while looking toward the future with unwavering optimism. While change may be inevitable, it is our response to it that ultimately shapes our experience. As we navigate the ever-shifting currents of college life, let us do so with courage, resilience and an unwavering belief in the power of progress.