We are just days away from the beginning of construction on the new Northeast Triangle Residence Hall, part of the campus plan’s goal to bring more students on to campus. However, with this exciting change comes tragic news: The Reiss pathway, leading from Red Square to the Leavey Center and beyond, will be closed for the rest of my time at Georgetown. Due to the construction, a detour around the back of Reiss will now be necessary to access Leavey, Henle and Darnall when traveling from Red Square.  To some, this may seem like a trivial change.  Personally, the change is devastating, and I think we all need to take some time to reflect.

Thank you, Reiss pathway, for always providing easy access to my homes — Darnall and Henle — over the last two years, as well as to my favorite study spot — Sellinger Lounge.  Although I have always had to walk a long way to and from classes, the straight shot along the Reiss pathway made things so much easier.

Thank you, Reiss pathway, for providing me with a less-creepy way to get home late at night, whether it was a journey from Lau or Tuscany.  A quasi-well-lit path was certainly more convenient than having to walk all the way around campus.

Thank you, Reiss pathway, for giving me a view of some lovely green space as I walked to and from Henle and Darnall. I was always grateful for that zen little park that stood in contrast to the hustle and bustle of a “city school.”

Maybe everyone hasn’t had the same connection to, affinity for or reliance on the use of this pathway.  But it has certainly been a major part of my Georgetown experience, and I’ll miss it dearly.

This isn’t a “goodbye” Reiss pathway, it’s a “see you later.”

Photo: georgetown.edu