In the dead of night, unbeknownst to the Riker Hall residents, there was a massacre. On the morning of Oct. 21, the scent of pumpkin filled the hallway and pieces lay scattered on the ground. Riker 3 residents awoke to pumpkin carnage.
The students turned to the Riker GroupMe for answers.
Although no culprit was found, the victims were identified as Gabriel Gutierrez’s (‘27) two beloved pumpkins, one of which was a gift to his roommate. This revelation added new layers to the mystery. Now a robbery was involved.
After the loss of his pumpkins, Gutierrez declared, “Whoever did this should know that they have a pumpkin-shaped target on their back.”
This follows a string of instances of a general lack of consideration for fellow residents in Riker. For instance, constant smells waft throughout the building like burnt popcorn, cigarettes and cannabis. This is particularly inconsiderate because all of the air vents are connected in Riker, so if someone wants to enjoy burnt popcorn in their room, everyone has to enjoy it with them.
There have been multiple emails, GroupMe messages and signs posted around the building to remind students not to smoke indoors. Evidently, these reminders fall on deaf ears.
The burnt smell was so horrible one night that fire trucks arrived in Baldwin Circle to investigate a fire. Many residents feared their dorm was in jeopardy.
Resident Christina Dillon (‘26) said, “I heard the fire alarm from a distant room. We were confused so we went outside, thinking something was wrong. We didn’t know if there was a fire or if it was just burnt popcorn. You could even smell it outside.”
Furthermore, there have been multiple instances where loud music was played and people have been heard yelling inside and outside the building past quiet hours. Loud noises and odd smells are one thing, but the recent pumpkin incident takes things to another level. Rather than small disturbances, someone has turned to thievery and property destruction.
The aftermath was messy and the smell and remains of the pumpkins will undoubtedly attract a multitude of insects and critters that will invade the Riker 3 hallway and dorms. Not only does this affect the owner of the pumpkins and other residents, but also the cleaning staff that has to deal with the aftermath.
“Damaging others’ belongings and leaving a mess for someone else to clean up is incredibly inconsiderate; Our cleaning staff already has a challenging job,” says Faith Jackson (‘25), CA of Riker 0 and 1.
This is not just a Riker problem, but a campus-wide issue. Many students leave messes simply because they know someone else will clean it up. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes messes don’t get cleaned for days if no one reports them. While the cleaning staff are compensated for their work, it is important to recognize that they are not responsible for students’ personal messes. As adults, students should treat the staff with respect and take responsibility for maintaining a clean living environment.
While searching for a culprit, Riker residents speculated that an outsider was allowed in the building and pulled off this incident, possibly hoping that one of their fellows would not stoop so low.
Jackson explained that non-residents can only access the building if let in by a Riker resident. Therefore, if someone brings an outsider in, they are responsible for their actions.
It is anyone’s guess who the real culprit is and if they acted alone, but someone needs to be held responsible. Many students were outraged by the new guest policies enacted this semester, but following this incident, they may not seem so bad.
Although to some, this incident is humorous, the reality and aftermath are not. This is a wake-up call for students to care about one another and the Drew faculty. This serves as a reminder that actions have consequences and can impact other people. Let this be a turning point for students to prioritize kindness and compassion. Let this be the final pumpkin sacrifice.
Dee Cohen is a junior double-majoring in French and English with a concentration in literature.
Featured image courtesy of Dee Cohen.
