A piece of rope, a couple of boards and an old seat cushion have helped make the Pentagon residence halls a more close-knit and care-free living community.
Biological sciences junior Jared Yore, biological sciences sophomore Paul Miles and finance sophomore Michael Curtis Underwood collaborated to create the Pentagon swing.
The idea came last year when Miles decided to wear his rock climbing gear, climbed a tree in the Pentagon area and looked down at the courtyard.
Miles, who describes himself as being “raised by monkeys,” envisioned himself soaring in the air and being among the trees. He thought it would be fun for everyone who lived in the Pentagon to have that experience.
“We like to think of ourselves as pleasers,” Yore said. “We like to make people happy, and we thought having a swing would please everyone in the community.”
Yore also said the swing encourages students to take time out of their busy days and take in other aspects of college life.
“We are in school to work toward degrees,” he said. “But the total college experience is more than grades. It’s having fun and doing things you wouldn’t normally do.”
Yore said the swing is also used a lot before people take tests and during finals week to help them to relax.
Yore said last year the swing consisted of a piece of plywood tied to the rope, but during the summer it was removed by Facility Services.
When he and his friends returned to school this fall, Pentagon residents would not stop asking for the swing to be reinstated.
The swing has since been modernized, and the plywood seat has been replaced by a seat cushion.
Scott Scribner, a geography sophomore, said he likes the new and improved swing.
“The larger seat is safer and more comfortable,” Scribner said.
Yore said since creating the swing he has constantly received compliments.
“Sometimes people even knock on my dorm room window and ask me to push them,” he said.
Yore said people like to use the swing because it gives them the opportunity to feel like a kid again and forget the stress of college life.
“When you’re on the swing you don’t have to worry about the stress of the day; it’s just you and the air,” he said.
Scribner said the swing transformed the Pentagon courtyard into an outdoor college playground.
Stacy Montgomery, a kinesiology freshman, said the swing “rocks” and has missed class on a couple occasions to swing.
“I can’t imagine the Pentagon without the swing,” she said. “It’s what makes the Pentagon different from other residence halls.”
Some people may be afraid of the Pentagon swing, but Caroline Zeretzke, a secondary education history sophomore, said she finds it peaceful.
“Having the swing here sets the atmosphere for people to hang out,” she said. “It makes our living environment more social and helps you to meet people. You can just call someone over to push you or push them and make a friend.”
Scott Stephenson, a secondary education English sophomore, said as far as he knows, no major injuries have occurred to people using swing.
“I do know a guy who was intoxicated and decided to swing,” Stephenson said. “He did get dizzy and throw up, but I don’t think that constitutes an injury.”