Construction disrupts campus with unpleasant odor

Construction by campus’ learning resource center. Lea Packer

Holidays are now in full swing all over Orange County. Aromas of peppermint, gingerbread and eggnog remind many of the food and gifts we still need to make (or buy). 

But at Saddleback, a different and peculiar scent flew through the air during class time Dec. 4. 

Instead of crisp, winter air, campus was flooded with what smelled like a singing, burning liquid. 

Several students commented on the pungent odor permeating through the LRC building.

“It smells like tar and bad chemicals,” 21-year-old Film major Adam Bernal said. “It honestly smells cancerous.”

The construction project, aims to upgrade old infrastructure with an emphasis on sustainability, but students report it’s difficult to concentrate.

“I was trying to study for my biology exam, but the smell made it impossible to focus,” said Jessica Moreno, 20, a biology major. “It’s like a mix of paint and chemicals, and after a while, it gave me a headache.”

The project is expected to wrap up early next year, and the college has promised significant improvements to campus facilities.

For now, students are finding creative ways to adapt, with many relocating to other study spaces on campus.

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