The first Spring Visit Day of the month, March 12, for prospective students and their parents is fast approaching. Current Linfield students tend to sigh loudly at the mention of large tour groups walking slowly around campus and extra cars taking the already limited number of parking spaces.

It’s tempting to act irritably in the face of this disruption but it’s a minor inconvenience that ultimately serves a purpose. Without the steady stream of incoming students, Linfield would’ve ceased to be a college long ago.

The campus is one of several primary features that attract students to Linfield. Showing it off in all its glory and being able to show our inclusive, supportive community to all who come here should be a point of pride, not irritation.

After all, if students stopped choosing Linfield, our tuition would increase by an even higher amount and eventually the college would close.

Students who eat at Dillin also get the added bonus of slightly improved meal options when prospective students and parents visit.

Receiving new students into the fold is something we should be excited about because it strengthens us as a community and allows the community to grow.

We should go out of our way to be welcoming and accommodating to prospective students because most of us were probably in one of those tour groups. The way people treated us and the way the campus looked were likely major factors in our choosing this college. Pay it forward.