Madeline Bryce / Daily Nexus

With college acceptances having come in waves throughout the month of March, high school seniors are now faced with the incredibly tough task of saying “I do” to a college. These same colleges must also tackle some tough tasks of their own as they prepare their campuses for a sharp increase in curious students trying to get a glimpse of their collegiate future. 

UC Santa Barbara is no stranger to the herculean efforts needed ahead of the influx of prospective students. In addition to offering a 24-hour crisis line to overworked tour guides, UCSB has recently unveiled their new infrastructure plans which include corridors specifically for tour groups. 

In a press release, a representative for the university cited near collisions between touring families and UCSB students who use bikes and skateboards as a reason behind the adoption of this new infrastructure. 

“Prospective students and their families aren’t used to the unique modes of transportation and incredibly complex routes we offer here at UCSB. While we don’t understand how these individuals don’t recognize the simple yellow line on the sidewalk which delineates between the skateboard area and walking area, or why they aren’t expecting a bike to speed past them near the Interactive Learning Pavilion, we aim to create ways for these people to better experience our campus.”

These new plans include corridors which are said to take tour groups over bike paths and guide them around more crowded areas of campus, without having to walk through them. There will be places along these corridors for tour groups to stop and observe students at crucial places around campus, with the press release calling this a chance for prospective students to observe actual students in their “natural habitat.” 

UCSB has released the corridor plans to the general public, with notable stops being above The Arbor, Temu Miu (a newly established fraternity) and Campus Point, as well as outside the oceanside windows of the eighth floor of the library. 

Students have responded to these plans on various social media platforms, such as Yik Yak and Reddit. Their reactions range from excitement to outright outrage. 

User QuixoticPig60 on Reddit falls into the latter category: “What the hell are these new plans that UCSB just released? They’re building tour routes which go OVER the freaking campus? Are we serious? Isn’t that a violation of airspace codes?”

Candace O’Candance, a first year nightlife pre-major, gave an in-person interview regarding the new plans. 

“I didn’t even know that was happening. Just as long as these corridors don’t get in the way of the sun when I’m trying to tan, I think it should be fine,” O’Candace said.

IncelLettuce posted a message to the Reddit page r/UCSB, but it has since been taken down.

“This is all part of a new UCSB plot to turn us into government lab rats. These corridors are letting people spy on us from above. We’re part of the fishbowl now. Kiss your privacy goodbye,” it read.

There are mixed feelings across campus surrounding this new initiative, but the plans are slated to begin construction just as soon as the University can scrape together enough money. In the meantime, tour guides must continue to say their prayers as they navigate backwards with ignorant high school seniors and other prospective students in tow. 

If you see a suffering tour guide making their rounds during this busy campus tour season, make sure to tell them happy birthday, and lovingly pants them to show prospective students the real UCSB culture. 

Serrano Ham feels like a zoo animal (specifically a warthog) whenever they walk past a tour group.