Non calpestare l’erba. Das gras nicht betreten. Arcendis herba. Défense de marcher sur la herbe.

Each of these phrases all mean the same thing: Keep off the grass.

Most may know by now, but just in case you live under a rock, or don’t bother checking your email, we recently received a message asking for us to stay off the grass.

As I read the email during class, I could not help but be reminded of one of the greatest movies of our generation, “The Princess Diaries.”

That evening I wandered around campus wondering if anyone else got the reference…ok, not really, but I felt the need to throw in some dramatic effect.

Now, this article is nothing against our maintenance staff for asking us to stay off the grass, because one of the greatest parts of this campus is how beautiful it is.

Ever since the email was sent, I have made a conscious effort to avoid walking through the grass on my way to class. This made me realize how often I did actually walk through the grass.

Even when I go to my car, I walk through the grass.

The only time I actually walk all the way around the grass and back track to the lot behind my building is when I am not in a rush, or I am wearing my new kicks—as my roommate would say, “I don’t wanna scuff my J’s.”

Interestingly enough though, the building next to mine has a nice little sidewalk that allows you to walk from the front door to the lot.

I see how it is Mercyhurst.

I would like to point out  that if the sidewalks were straighter, rather than going six different ways other than the way we are trying to go, we would be more likely to stay off the grass.

This also brings up the issue of the uneven sidewalks. Sometimes, I feel safer walking through the grass.

There is nothing more mortifying than tripping on the sidewalk while talking with your crush. Or worse, tripping on the sidewalk and it ending up as a post on Yik Yak, and then your crush “ups” it.

To quote one of my favorite writers, Tory Kreysar, who has previously written on the topic of the campus sidewalks, “We’re not trying to hike the Oregon Trail here; we’re trying to get to class.”

And let’s be real, sometimes getting to class means taking a short cut through the grass.