The topic of “Bart’s doors” has become a trigger word for most upperclassmen, and I can only assume freshmen are about to catch on quickly too. Legend has it that the knee-high doors by Jazzman’s Cafe, above the stairs leading down to The Marketplace (aka Barts, the unofficial, cooler name by far), can only open on your way out of the dining hall.

Prior reasoning to this one-entrance-only phenomenon into the dining hall was to limit the spread of COVID-19 and protect students, faculty’s top priority at the university. Flashforward to this moment, as you’re reading this article, it is largely assumed that the pandemic has pretty much run its course and college life is largely back to normal. Considering this, one is left to question: are the doors really necessary?

In my opinion, having to trek outside around the entire dining hall in rain, snow, or tornado, just to swipe our cards at a kiosk that could easily be placed at the top of the steps we stood in front of is kind of absurd, and that’s not even the best part. Imagine having to use the bathroom during your meal. Oh yeah, the closest one is up the stairs by Jazzman’s, just past the infamous doors. After going up the stairs and “doing your thing,” trek number two around the outside of the building begins just to get back to your plate of food which was just a mere 20 steps away.

The real question is, why is this necessary? What could possibly be the reasoning for this inefficient and inconvenient way of life on campus? I can tell you the dining staff themselves do not know the exact reason why this is, either. The employees, as helpful, kind and welcoming as they are, cannot risk getting into trouble, although they may sympathize with us and our lengthy commute.

If you find yourself annoyed with the current situation, visit @nomorebartelsdoors on Instagram, and check out the link in their bio to voice your thoughts.

Please help make life a little easier for the food eating population here on campus, which includes simply everyone at the university. College is supposed to develop independent minds with the power of knowledge and encourage the questioning of why things are the way that they are, so we can make the world a better place.

I look forward to your help, and I hope to see us all walk down the steps into The Marketplace in the foreseeable future.