Dayton Diary: Opening doors and Rebeccas
Open door policy
One day I was hustling to class because I was close to being late. As I rushed up the steps to the door, a student ahead of me stopped to open the door and let me pass through first. As I walked through, I thought, “That’s so UD.”
When I was on my high school senior college visit of UD, my student tour guide had said people are always opening doors for each other and she had never seen that before she got here. “It must be a UD thing,” she said.
Another day, I held the door open for the entire softball team to a chorus of 23 thank-yous. Later that day I went to do the same thing, but a player actually fought me for the opportunity to open the door. She told me I had already done so once that day and that it was someone else’s turn.
I grew up in the South where holding the door for others is expected, but even I am impressed with the consistency of UD community members opening doors for each other. I have to agree with my tour guide — it’s just different here.
I guess it must be a UD thing.
Rebeca with one ‘c’
I once went to a production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show to support one of my close friends who was part of the cast.
At one point during the show, I turned around and saw a group of girls. I recognized one since she lives on my floor; she made eye contact with me and yelled, “You live on my floor!”
“Yeah I do! That’s so cool!” I replied.
I also noticed the girl next to her, who I recognized from my biology class. Sure enough, she said, “You’re in my bio class!”
“Yeah, I am!” I responded.
“What’s your name again?” she asked.
“Rebecca!” I said. Another girl in the group overheard and pointed to another girl and said, “Her name’s Rebeca, too!”
They tapped on Rebeca’s shoulder and told her my name was Rebecca.
“That’s so cool!” She said. “One C or two C’s?”
“Two C’s!” I replied.
“Ah. I’m a one C!” Rebeca said.
Since I have been at UD, I have met five people named Rebecca. Who knows where I’ll meet the sixth!
Illustrations by Ron Acklin.