NANTICOKE, Pa. — What is it about a flight of stairs that has close to 100 community college alumni returning to their old stomping grounds just to have one last go at them?
We'll let 1990 grad Nancy Burkland explain.
"It's memories, memories that we're always going to have. And it's sad that new kids coming in aren't going to have those memories," Burkland said. "We have to walk the steps one last time because they're infamous!"
If you've ever taken a class at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke, you've likely had to climb those infamous steps.
And it's nearly impossible to do so without forming an opinion on them.
Some go out of their way to avoid scaling the 54-step stairway to campus.
"I always park at building 3, and I take the long way," says Kelsey Hardy.
Alumna Bonnie Orth remembers, "avoiding them and walking up and down the grass. There's 1 or 2 times I did it barefoot because I had heels on that were killing my feet."
Others embrace the challenge.
"I just love the steps. I look forward to them. I purposely park here, even when my classes are over there," said Nikolene Espinal.
As a mom working on getting her degree, Espinal appreciates the chance to cram in a cardio workout on her way to class.
"This is what I enjoy! I lunge up and down them!"
Because of the awkward size of these steps, everyone has their own unique strategy to best navigate them. You're either a "two-step person" or a "one-step person."
"I have to give two steps. I get so tired going up those stairs. I can skip gym day with those stairs," said student Raquel Garcia.
"You always try to do one step going down, but you could never do it," Burkland said.
But come next semester, there'll be no more one-step versus two-step debates.
"It'll still be a very long staircase, but now it'll be a shorter walk up with a landing, shorter walk, landing," said Robert Bogdin, director of marketing for LCCC.
The replacement is part of a larger construction project on campus, but the closure of the notorious steps is what has people talking.
"I was so excited. They will not be missed," said student Kelsey Hardy.
Love 'em or hate 'em, they're something that connects every LCCC student, current or former.
"It's very cool to hear that everybody has something in common and can share a story about those steps," Hardy said.
"I think if you didn't survive them all these years, you wouldn't appreciate them as much," said former student Bonnie Orth.
Construction begins on Wednesday.
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