Drew Might as Well Paint Over My Grades, Too

Drew seems to enjoy painting random rooms with the most absurd colors they can find. It almost seems as if they are being forced to refresh the spaces and are using the cheapest paint they can find, no matter the color. It is deplorable.

I miss the dark and moody lounge in Brother’s College. If you arrived at Drew this year, the white and gray paint is all you know. You might have looked at the mural in the lounge and wondered why it seems so out of place. Well, the mural used to match the original brown walls perfectly. 

Not only does this new paint job ruin the creativity of this mural, the white and gray paint make the space feel clinical. I feel as if I am sitting in a doctor’s office. I understand that the intention might have been to make the space feel more open and spacious. However, according to Sharper Impressions Painting Co., “stark white paint can make people feel uneasy and anxious.” This is exactly how the new white walls in the lounge make me feel.

It is not only the dark colors that frustrate me; the bright blue walls in Seminary Hall are infuriating. The color blue is said to evoke a sense of relaxation since it can have a “calming effect.” The suggested shades for this are “dark (like navy) or muted (like a gray-blue).” The bright blue does not have the intended effect. The classrooms in Brother’s College feel much better with the darker, more muted blue on the walls. Not only is the bright blue in the classrooms of Seminary Hall agitating, but it does not fit into the architecture of the building.

Seminary Hall is a historical building, constructed during the years 1898 to 1899. It has beautiful architecture and stained glass windows. The grand staircase is made out of beautiful wood with intricate carvings. The building has a welcoming atmosphere and gives off a dark academia aesthetic. This is entirely ruined when you walk into a bright blue classroom with stark white moldings.

These are not the only paint choices around Drew’s campus that confuse and irritate me. The orange paint in Asbury Hall: Why would they choose orange? Blue is at least a color of the school. Orange has nothing to do with Drew, so why is it there?

We need to stop trying to modernize everything and embrace the history of Drew’s buildings. Painting the moldings white and the walls the worst shade of blue does not make the building modern. Can we please preserve the original style of our beautiful buildings?

Emily is a sophomore majoring in English and French.