A friend and I are walking along Cro Boulevard one night when we encounter one of the numerous black and white furballs known to haunt our campus. We bravely start to walk past it, until my worst fear is realized; the creature raises its tail. My friend is sprayed full-on by the skunk, as I cowardly run away. Then, I wake up.
The infiltration of skunks here at Connecticut College is so disruptive to my daily life that it is seeping into my unconscious. Where do the skunks come from? Why are they here at Conn?
The problematic presence of skunks on our campus seems to have risen to new heights, affecting the level of comfort many students expect of their home. A home is what Connecticut College should be, a place where students can feel secure and relaxed. Now while safety from harm is of course important, the issue of feeling free to roam the campus without meeting pesky animals is another factor altogether.
I find myself increasingly frustrated with having to rearrange the path I am taking in order to avoid the skunks. I walk past at least two of these musky creatures on a daily basis and once encountered four skunks within twenty feet of each other.
I began the year amused by their presence on campus, as I did last year, because they are not animals I normally come across. However, the routine the skunks have formed in blocking my route to Cro or the Plex has taken a toll on my patience. I see countless individuals run away from the skunks or completely avoid entering a door with a skunk nearby.
The paranoia that I prided myself in not having, when I used to determinedly walk right past the skunks, has started to spread. Instead, I now find myself fearful and overly cautious each time I leave my dorm.
The skunk problem has added an additional level of stress that should not be weighing down our already maxed out psyches.
In reality, the skunks mean no harm and are simply going about their business. But why they come to Connecticut College to linger on a campus full of rowdy students is unclear to me.
Just recently, I passed a girl trying to scare off a skunk, and I kindly advised her NOT to throw the rock in her hand. Although their presence is troubling, if we leave the skunks alone, it is unlikely that they will bother us.
In fact, I have read that skunks are actually hesitant to use their foul spray because they carry a limited supply.
Despite not posing much of a threat, the skunks are still a nuisance on campus, leaving anxious students and a rank odor in their wake.
The smell alone has penetrated my dorm at least twice this semester. Not to be confused with the ever-present smell of “skunk weed” in the dorms, the smell of actual skunks is distinctly recognizable. The awful stench flooding the air of my dorm room has added to my newly discovered anxiety over these creatures.
So, what is the solution to this problem? That is one I have yet to discover. In the meantime, I plan to not let the skunks take over my life, and hopefully will never again find myself fearfully fleeing the scene presented in my dream.
Photo by Duncan Spaulding
