Caroline Gordon
Asst. Photos Editor
I heard the flush of a toilet, then footsteps scurry out of the bathroom – no sound of a sink.
Disgusting – but I can’t completely blame them.
Within the first few weeks of school in my residence hall, I noticed something missing.
The bathroom did not have soap or paper towels.
But there was a new Purell dispenser on the wall, by the door, in place of soap.
After talking with a few dorm neighbors who had been here longer than I, they said there was a lack of soap dispensers in all underclassmen residence halls.
Thankfully, I have a caring RA who supplies my floor with bottles of soap.
I will say the soap situation has improved since first semester.
Recently, “Community Soap Program” fliers have been posted around campus.
The community soap program is in place for students to bring the empty bottles from the soap the RA’s supply, to the RA office to get refills during the RA duty hours.
I appreciate Res Life’s efforts with the community soap program, but it would be more convenient for everybody to have soap dispensers on the bathroom walls.
Residents must go ask for more soap when it runs out.
We should not have to do that.
Although this program is in place, I still notice inadequate amounts of soap in my residence hall. People get lazy and decide to water the miniscule amount of soap down, thinking that will be effective.
I don’t have time to go get refills, so I bring my own bar of soap with a small hand towel – there are never any paper towels, either.
The under-classmen halls: Larned, Horace Mann, Peirce, Linsley and Towers should have soap dispensers. We need to wash our hands with soap to stay healthy.
North and West are the exception.
Many conditions and diseases are spread from not using soap. Handwashing with soap kills germs.
Germs from unwashed hands can get into food and beverages, making people ill. They can also get onto objects and other people’s hands, spreading sickness, according to the CDC.
Ironically, the school sends out emails telling us to wash our hands regularly as it is flu season and the coronavirus is on the rise.
If you are living on campus, and you need soap, but all you see is an empty bottle or no bottle at all, bring your own. Do not depend solely on the hand sanitizer.
The CDC says that hand sanitizers can reduce germs, but this method is not as successful as using soap and water.
Why not just put soap and paper towel dispensers on the walls?
I find it odd there is a Purell dispenser on my bathroom wall instead of a soap dispenser.
The cost of GoJo, plastic soap dispensers used by numerous public places, are inexpensive.
According to Homedepot.com, the cheapest model is $7.66, while the most expensive is $18.22.
Now more than ever, we need to be washing our hands. FSU should provide us with supplies to stay clean and healthy.
The other day somebody told me for years, people have complained about the soap situation, trying to get dispensers in the residence halls.
As soap dispensers are low cost, crucial to health, and students keep complaining about this issue – why not put in soap dispensers?