Campus printing: Triumph or daily trial?
If there’s one thing that truly connects students across all the departments of our university would be the communal trip from the printing command lab to the actual printer which is located at the opposite end of the hallway. By the time you reach it, you’ve already walked a small marathon, only to learn that this journey was the easiest part of the whole process.
The underlying problem begins with the multi-step printing method itself. It feels more like finishing paperwork than simply sending a document to print. In addition, there are system glitches, incidents of “printer not responding” and the ongoing anxiety of whether your file will print or vanish somewhere along the way. The rare syncing of the devices seems like they do not trust each other.
Sometimes, due to the confusing interface, students who are used to handling complex software also ask the question, “Wait, what was the next step?” Waysal Khondokar (Sophomore, CSE) shared, “My card got stuck while scanning and I couldn’t use any other printers afterwards. Also without color print, I still have to depend on outside shops.”
The 200 page limit per semester is undoubtedly intended to promote careful usage. But for some students, organizing lab reports, assignments and sometimes thesis work, it often feels insufficient. The system does allow you to buy extra pages but with such complicated processes, it feels pointless to pay when printing outside is much easier; especially when the academic life is already demanding. Afroza Afrin Sukanta (Sophomore, MNS) said, “Since some semesters don’t require all 200 pages, letting unused pages roll over to the next would give a more practical total.”
Another problem is finding someone who knows how the printing system actually works which seems rare nowadays. Moreover, the three hour wait before attempting to print again after it gets cancelled surely tests the patience.
However, the system is genuinely well-intended. With just a few changes, it may become the efficient service the university envisioned. Until then, the print adventure continues with a smile and hope one day, the system will be smoother and footsteps will echo a little less.
