Unless you have a ceramic plate to return or date with Arnold Bernard, chances are that you use the back door to leave the cafe. You know, the one by the bathrooms that threatened an emergency alarm that never went off.

And why wouldn’t you use this exit? There’s a door there for a reason. It’s a conveniently located way to leave the building. Once outside, you’re mere steps away from the South Lot shuttle stop or Commons Bridge. Even if you have farther to walk, at least it’s a head start.

But this door has been the cause of a lot of confusion lately. Last semester, no one adhered to the “Emergency Exit” label and the alarm was never set off, so people always used this door. Still, you could never be 100 percent confident that it would stay quiet.

This semester, the emergency exit sign disappeared and people were finally free to use this door to their hearts’ content. But last Wednesday, for no apparent reason, there was a new sign on the door. It was handwritten in green highlighter and read something along the lines of “Stop! The alarm actually works now!” with a smiley face.

Though it was nice of whoever post the sign to warn others, many weren’t sure if it was a lie. But it turned out to be true. The alarm sounded three times during my dinner, and it was incredibly loud and annoying. People were so used to using this door that they didn’t think twice about opening it.

And now, to make it more confusing, the door is back to its alarm-less and sign-less state. I think many of us hope it stays this way.

Photo by Megan Maher