Upon my arrival at Baker four years ago, I acquired a number of new things. New friends, a new home and a shiny new bible.

Among these new things was a brand new e-mail address.

Like any other college transition, this new e-mail address was, at times, difficult to deal with. I already had an e-mail address. Why would I want another? I wasn't particularly attached to my old e-mail for any reason. It was just inconvenient to have another. <br/>After checking both for a few weeks, I started to ignore the original. It was so much easier to look in one place, and before coming to Baker, I hadn't used e-mail for much anyway. After checking both for a few weeks, I started to ignore the original. It was so much easier to look in one place, and before coming to Baker, I hadn't used e-mail for much anyway.
After checking both for a few weeks, I started to ignore the original. It was so much easier to look in one place, and before coming to Baker, I hadn’t used e-mail for much anyway.

I started using my Baker address as my primary account and found myself giving it out on applications.

For someone who rarely ever checked my e-mail, it suddenly became important to check it multiple times every day to keep up with important updates from professors and various faculty.

Currently, I not only receive important information from the university, friends and family, I get updates from my favorite stores, including Borders coupons, information about sales at Urban Outfitters and information about when my favorite bands are coming to town and how soon I can purchase tickets.

I receive bill statements for credit cards as well as banking information. <br/>I've memorized the required password and have even become accustomed to reciting the ridiculously long address when asked for it.I've memorized the required password and have even become accustomed to reciting the ridiculously long address when asked for it.
I’ve memorized the required password and have even become accustomed to reciting the ridiculously long address when asked for it.

Now, four years later, three months before I graduate and for no apparent reason, I have to switch e-mail accounts through Baker.

Wildcat mail may not be the most efficient form of communication. It may not have as many spiffy features as this new program. But it got me through the last four years. I know how to use it and I’ve never had an e-mail not reach its recipient because it didn’t work.

It might sound silly, but the inconvenience of changing my address so I can receive important Baker e-mails for three months is slightly upsetting and more trouble than it’s worth.

Weeding out the old system by allowing returning students to continue using it until their graduation date seems like it would be more effective for students, especially those with mere months left on campus.

And if they felt sudden need to switch, they could have at least shortened the address.