As a college senior and a journalist I thought I knew close to everything there is to know about the unknown details of Keene State College. I know the names of all the buildings and where to find them. I know what the winter “soy sauce” is made of. I know all the go green efforts the campus does. And I know that the carnival will always be there in the spring to help ease the finals crunch. But what I didn’t know is that the Campus Convenience store on Butler Court has a little more to its name than just CampCo. The other thing I have discovered is that no one I have spoken to, including senior friends, knew this secret either. Campus Convenience is actually called MY Campus Convenience.
My first response to this of course was, “How cute!” This is how I discovered the name secret: I had not gone into the store for several months and the last I knew, the ATM outside of the store was broken and had to be taken away. So I thought I would do a 4-1-1 directory call to get their number and see if they had a new ATM. When I told the operator, “Keene, New Hampshire please, Campus Convenience,” the operator paused. I heard her ask me to wait a minute then she replied, “Oh, do you mean My Campus Convenience?” And of course I said yes. I couldn’t get over it. I can’t even get the store’s number without saying “My CampCo,” yet none of the signs outside of CampCo mention the word “my” at all! I even went to their website and it only used the title of My Campus Convenience.
For me, the name change didn’t make sense. The store has experienced so many changes over the years that it sure doesn’t feel like mine anymore. But then I wondered what would have changed if I knew this knowledge when I was a freshman.
To my graduating class: don’t you wish you grew up at KSC calling the convenience store My CampCo? Like it’s mine, not yours—mine. Only for Keene Staters, no one else. I feel that if we knew about this little personalization, we may have felt more bothered when changes were made, or maybe we would have cared more to be aware of what’s going on with our little store on campus. I also feel that if students grew up at Keene knowing it was My CampCo, maybe the little convenience store wouldn’t seem to be so far on the edge of campus. It might have made us more willing to travel to the outer edges of campus more and engage students from Pondside III with the Butler students, for example. It might have also made us feel more connected as one campus instead of one that is broken into different regions almost–at least, that’s how I feel.
Although it may be too late for me to start a trend, I do hope readers begin to call the store My CampCo. I think it’s cute, it’s personal and it could help underclassmen feel a little less like strangers when they’re perusing the aisles. But remember guys, just because the store belongs to you that doesn’t give you the right to trash it. Next time maybe rethink throwing a cigarette butt at your little Campus Convenience.
Lindsey Arceci can be contacted at
larceci@keene-equinox.com
