It’s always good to see something being used for its intended purpose, and even better, it’s great to see people enjoying something’s intended purpose.

In past semesters, the bus turnaround by DuSable, Reavis and Gable halls and the Chick Evans Field House parking lot has caught a great deal of flack from students and faculty for altering the world that was getting to class in that area.

The Northern Star was also a major player in criticizing the plan to remove the former system and replace it with the newer, safer one.

However, the plans for the turnaround have proven to create some very interesting visuals in the aforementioned area of campus.

During the spring semester all one could see were hills of dirt with trampled, hair-like blades of grass partially protruding from them.

Now, as students walk from their classes in DuSable and Gilbert halls they see people utilizing the new grassy area for cramming, touching up homework or even just sitting and relaxing before their next class.

This area, which used to be a dangerous roadway where students and faculty were forced to play “chicken” with buses in order to get to class on time, has now turned into a mini-quad of sorts where students can take a minute to soak up a ray and take in the rich DeKalb air.

Hopefully this new trend of relaxing undergrads and comfy co-eds will really catch on and this space will become an integral piece of NIU’s landscape.

All parking problems and woeful winter worries aside, there is a new place where you can sit back and take in the sights and sounds of campus while being merely 10 seconds from your next class.

While the weather is nice and the grass is still bright green, students should take advantage of what used to be the middle of a bus lane.

The project to reconstruct the bus turnaround in the DuSable area has paid off greatly in at least this one way.

At the same time it is far safer to walk to Reavis and Cole Hall from the residence halls.

Two major benefits have come out of the bus turnaround construction project: safety and a new kind of atmosphere at NIU.

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www.northernstar.info