Issue date: 8/20/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Battalion Admin [Click to enlarge]

College is a process. Students build everything from their character to their resume in a process that would make Bob the Builder proud. But nobody can build jack squat without grit and supplies, and any veteran builder would be quick to point out that duct tape can be a provision when building the foundation of a college experience.

"Duct tape is a very important tool, and also a very educational tool," said Austin Hogan, a junior kinesiology major. "The best thing about duct tape is its versatility, you're only limited in uses by what you can dream up and put together."

College students have found many uses for duct tape over the years. The wonder cure of broken appliances can be seen in many functions, whether it's fashioned into clothing or put into use helping a pair of crutches feel more comfortable.

"I love duct tape, it's on my crutches right now," said Tara Goode, a junior agriculture business major. "[It's] holding on the pillows so [the crutches don't] hurt my armpits as bad."

Hogan said he once found a use for duct tape in places where most adhesives dare not go, the shower.

"I had an AC runoff valve in my shower at my dorm and the water coming out of it is was freezing so a shower was torture," Hogan said. "So I used duct tape to funnel the water down the wall and into the drain."

Despite duct tape's pervasive presence throughout college society, there are some students at A&M who try to live without duct tape. They admit that life without duct tape is a lifestyle that's hard to stick with.

"I actually never have [used duct tape]," said Jennifer Truxal, a senior animal science major.

Which may beg the question, what does Truxal use when she needs to stick two items together?

"Umm… hm….. crap, I dunno. I feel inadequate now," Truxal said. "Or abnormal."

Goode said that all students should have a roll of tape on hand for its practicality, and cost effectiveness.

"I probably [use it] once a week," Goode said. "It's a cheap easy fix for nearly anything."

A 60 yard roll of duct tape is about $5. That's three-fifths of a football field worth of saved appliances for the same price as a hamburger.

Students who want to save themselves a trip to Beutel may even find medical uses for duct tape.

"I personally have had a few warts that I would just put duct tape on every night before going to bed, and they would actually go away after a week or two," Hogan said.

As the old adage goes, duct tape is a jack of all trades, master of none, though often times better than master of one.

"My advice would be to always have an extra roll handy, sometimes a major project might come up and the roll sitting in your junk drawer might not be enough to get the job done," Hogan said. "Also, invest in the different colors of tape, they can actually be a lot of fun."

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