Editor:

After reading Nicolette Polydoros' letter March 22, I was both angry and confused. The anger stemmed from the fact that Ms. Polydoros was ripping on Kristina Rivera for a supposed lack of seriousness. If Ms. Polydoros knew Kris, whom I have known for two years and consider a friend, she would know that Kris is very serious about the things that she considers important and worthwhile.

I was also angry that Ms. Polydoros was degrading Graham-Greenlee Hall. Like Kris said in her letter, it may not be aesthetically pleasing to every eye, but it is our HOME. Ms. Polydoros, we live here and we like it. I don't come into your home and call it a "piece of shit" so please, don't help perpetuate such a degradation of my home.

I was confused by Ms. Polydoros' statement that slurs against my home are not comparable to racial slurs. I beg to differ. For the past two years, Graham-Greenlee Hall has been my home. In fact, I designed the hall T-shirt last year (so much for no one caring about the hall). For three years prior, I lived elsewhere in the residence hall system. In those five years, the residence halls and its community of people touched my life in many ways, helping me to become the person I am. My home is as much a part of who I am as the country from which my family came, which is Mexico. An insult to my home is just as painful as one to my heritage.

I commend Kris for her letter and hope that her message came across as planned to people who are more open-minded than Ms. Polydoros.

For the record, it's RESIDENCE HALL, not dorm. A dorm is a place to store your belongings. A Residence Hall is a home.

Jenn Noce

secondary English education senior