They say when a window closes, a door opens. In just two weeks, a new student-run Facebook page has appeared. But unlike other popular pages, this one is not about the students; it’s about one of our unsung heroes: the Binghamton University door. With over 1,500 likes already, Doors of Binghamton University is reinventing what it means to be a door on campus.
Created by a freshman majoring in computer science who requested his name not be disclosed, Doors of Binghamton University is a Facebook page that posts pictures of various doors around campus. After seeing so many Binghamton-related Facebook pages pop up on his News Feed, he decided to make one of his own after joking about the idea with his roommate.
“The first door I posted was my door to my room,” he said. “I was just sitting in my bed and I took it. I didn’t even get out of bed. The next few I took, I was going to class and saw a door I liked and posted it.”
Recently, the page has begun to mirror its predecessor, Humans of Binghamton University, providing readers with insight into what the doors at BU are really thinking. One post featured double doors and posed the question, “What is it like being a twin?” and the response: “I’m lucky. He’s the only one I can really open up to.”
“The first one I put a quote on was the New Union revolving door,” he said. “I wasn’t even serious about putting a quote on it. After I did that it got a bunch of likes and my page got a lot more popular so I did it again.”
The quote reads, “What’s your favorite part about being a revolving door on campus?” “The freedom.”
With the lack of information about doors on campus before the start of the page, some students are appreciative of Doors’ ability to help students learn more about the walkways they use every day.
“I was amazed because for the longest time I was deeply bothered by the lack of information about various doors on campus,” said Tony Fahey, a freshman majoring in computer science. “This page has not only fulfilled, but actually exceeded my needs.”
Exposure to different places around campus is something that the page’s creator has experienced himself, often receiving pictures from friends of different doors.
“The most recent posts are doors that my friends sent me, which is cool because you don’t always see all of the other parts of campus that your friends see,” Doors’ creator said.
Doors of Binghamton University isn’t just making students laugh, but is also allowing students to appreciate BU in a new way.
“I like that it doesn’t take itself too seriously,” said Keren Orr, a sophomore majoring in environmental studies. “Unlike Bing-U Secrets, where people often complain about Binghamton, this is a lighthearted way to celebrate it.”
The creator makes sure to try to post different types of doors on the page, but said he doesn’t yet have a favorite door on campus. The page also has “Window Wednesdays” in an attempt to broaden students’ perspective of buildings around campus.
One thing that the creator hasn’t found yet, however, is the elusive “perfect door.”
“I don’t know if there is a perfect door,” he said. “Every door is just really cool. To say there’s a perfect door would imply that there are imperfect doors too, and they’re all great.”