A month into first semester, the traditional “bench wars” have long since begun among the freshman dorms of East Campus.
Since orientation week, students have reported many incidents of playful late-night vandalism, bench-stealing and bench-tipping.
“It happens every year,” said Jennah Jones, Resident Coordinator of East Campus Neighborhood 2. “That’s part of why the benches are painted bright blue this year. It looks good, but it’s also easier to tell when they’re moved or destroyed.”
Indeed, nearly every bench on East has already been vandalized to some degree.
At approximately 2 a.m. on Sept. 18, a group of students from Gilbert-Addoms Dormitory walked over to Randolph Dormitory’s bench and tipped it on its side.
Even before that, during one of the first few nights of orientation week, a group of 20 or so Jarvis Dormitory residents decided to steal the Aycock Dormitory’s bench and place it on Jarvis’ lawn. The act was part of the historic rivalry between the two dorms. The next day, however, the Aycock bench broke when students attempted to move it back to its original position.
“Since the benches are student-built, damaging them is like ruining other students’ work,” Jones said. “It also means that the benches don’t hold up that easily to begin with. Most of the benches are already old, and because of that, they’re very fragile and can’t withstand a lot of force.”
Furthermore, when benches are moved or tipped, the grounds crew has to be called to return them to normal, Jones said. As such, when students tamper with the benches, Duke carries the costs.
Students appear to have mixed views about the bench wars. Freshman Jason Kwak of Wilson Dormitory said he was not upset about Epworth Dormitory residents spray-painting his dorm’s bench.
“They did it to everyone,” he said. “So I don’t really care.”
Freshman Ehizele Osehobo, a resident of Pegram Dormitory, however, said he would be angry if anyone touched Pegram’s bench.
“The culprits could expect vengeance from me,” he added.
Although the bench war problems are typically the most common in East Campus Neighborhood 2, Jones said incidents have occurred across East this year.
“I would say it’s a pretty similar problem all over East Campus,” she said. “The name Epworth was found on every bench except for two. Giles’ bench was recently found tipped on its side and a bench in Neighborhood 1 was actually found tipped vertically instead of horizontally.”
Administrators consider the bench wars acts of serious vandalism that may result in injury for students. Jones said a student had already injured his foot in the process of moving a bench.
Freshmen, however, maintain that the bench wars are merely the product of years of dorm rivalry, and that they are nothing more than a series of entertaining practical jokes all in good fun.
“I think it’s hilarious,” Osehobo said. “It’s just a friendly rivalry that goes awry sometimes, which keeps things interesting.”
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