Writer’s Spotlight: Gwenyth Harrington

“Gwenyth is a Communications Major who is pursuing a shift in majors. She loves languages and travel, but lately, she’s been inspired by Sarah J Maas books and her love for ballroom dancing.”

Whenever I walk into Daga, I pass by a curious-looking poster hanging on an office door. It is a picture of a squirrel looking upset, with the caption wanting to know what made it so flustered. From the first day I moved in up until now, I have always wondered the same thing. I find myself asking: What made this humble little squirrel so mad? Now I do not know about you, but whenever I am walking to my classes, I always see squirrels everywhere who reveal themselves in the moments they interact with humans. College squirrels are honestly just a different breed. If you are on a walk from Red Jacket down to the sports field, you may meet a little squirrel who is curious enough to drop its food at your feet, or if you are near the Union Center, they may be eyeing you and your newly purchased Starbucks treat.

This question has plagued me for some time as it seems like all the campus squirrels are primarily happy. Though, now that we are a few months into college, I believe I have finally cracked the case. The squirrel from the poster is not mad because of some trivial animalistic dispute. No— it is a college squirrel so it must be plagued by something more relevant. After countless hours of viewing the lives of the squirrels on campus and after asking a wide range of students for their opinions, the most notable answer was that the squirrels are annoyed about crossing the street. Let me explain; since most squirrels are seen on South Side, they may be upset about the fact that during the week, when students are walking back across the road, they move too slowly and don’t give enough time for the squirrels to get back to their nuts on the other side of the street.

Now, since it's getting closer to the colder months, the idea of winter coming may be plaguing the squirrel's mind too. The poor little campus dweller is just trying to forage enough food before the winter. As a student sharing space with our native furry friends, this question is one I feel should be carefully considered. By making up your assumption about why the squirrels are upset, you may be able to start taking the life of the environment and land into account when going about your day. Even though this is a poster meant to invoke a smile from passersby, it also symbolizes the relationship our campus has with the land we live on. I will leave you with one question: What do you think the squirrel is annoyed by?