Most of this year, campus has been abuzz with talk about The Commons, an initiative to provide students with a collective “first-year experience.” Incoming students will get a pretty good deal because on the surface, access to a great dining facility and new, spacious dorms seem worth the trek from Peabody to main campus. Though the administration hails The Commons as the greatest idea in history, I can’t think of a more divisive endeavor.

With the physical separation of main campus and The Commons comes disunity of the student body. Though first-year students will get to spend every waking minute together (which, judging from some of the individuals I’ve met here, doesn’t seem all that appealing), they will spend much less time interacting with upperclassmen and becoming involved in many of the great organizations that Vanderbilt has to offer.

As a member of a few of the smaller organizations on campus, I can tell you firsthand it’s tough to generate interest, no matter how many e-mails you send to the student body. I wonder how difficult it will be for student organizations to gain fresh members next year. I am often not willing to attend certain club meetings just because I don’t want to take a 10-minute walk through cold, rainy weather. If I lived on Peabody, I probably would be less likely to brave the elements just to go to a meeting. Unless the Vandy Vans suddenly become more numerous and predictable, I think that the “average person” will be deterred by the lengthy commute.

Participation in campus organizations will not be the only thing affected by the freshmen’s isolation on The Commons. Attendance at certain campus events and lectures will probably decrease as well. Now, on a whim, I may choose to see some obscure speaker or to attend a philanthropic event or two, but that’s because it is not overly inconvenient for me to walk over to Sarratt or the Student Life Center.

Maybe I am not expecting enough out of next year’s new students. Perhaps they aren’t that lazy — maybe they are driven and enthusiastic. Maybe they will want to go the extra mile (literally). In all honesty, next year’s freshmen will probably be just as apathetic as current students, and thus, I think it’s safe to predict that many students will not be willing to make the long journey from Peabody to main campus unless they are really enthusiastic about a certain club or event.

Since the separation from the main campus will probably negatively affect freshmen’s involvement in extracurricular activities, first years will miss out on opportunities to meet upperclassmen. Though I’ve met a fair number of upperclassmen in my classes, I have met many more who actually share my interests through my participation in campus organizations and campus events.

I expect, however, that one of the underlying reasons for the creation of The Commons is the separation of freshmen from upperclassmen that could “negatively influence” them. Of course, this plan will never reach fruition because first years will continue to go to parties (after all, people are pretty motivated to party, and the Vandy Vans do run from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m.) and make poor decisions. Oh, well; I guess it’s the thought that counts.

Bottom line: The Commons might look good on paper, but in reality, it will probably just lead to a less cohesive student body.

—Aimee Sobhani is a freshman in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at aimee.f.sobhani@vanderbilt.edu