...you never get a second chance...

Image management is always a stressed field in business, politics, and really anything else. So I began thinking about how people see Houghton. What's the first thing, the first mental note you make about houghton? Okay, so the first thing you notice is probably the really purple sign on route 19. But the second thing is the roller coaster of a ride your car gets due to the eight and a half inch difference between route 19 and the beginning of Genesse street.

"...oh, what a lovely sign, it looks very purp- HOLY COW WE'RE BEING ATTACKED BY TERRORISTS! ...oh, it's just the road, maybe they need our money more than we thought"

then of course there's the mine field in the road leading up to the gym, guaranteed to pop a tire or your money back (restrictions apply, purchase necessary, see inside wallet for details). If you are not a frequent visitor of the gym, there are (I kid you not) more than a dozen, each approaching a solid foot deep. I used to try to dodge them all, but now i just drive on the hill, it's much safer.

As we're striving to improve our enrollment to 1,400 students, perhaps letting them arive at the college before giving them reason to turn around and go home is a good idea. And remember, you never get a second chance to make a first pothole - er, impression.