Dartmouth's campus seems to constantly experience animosity between the administration and the students. More than a little of that problem arises from the absolute failure of the school to understand the students. And this is nowhere more evident than in the areas of safety and security and the college's alcohol policy.
You want my student opinion? Leave me alone! Don't micromanage my every move and then claim that you care about bringing individuals to this school. Being an individual in a school of 4,000 white kids who all dress the same is hard enough without having to worry about dealing with people who use noise complaints to bust parties where sensible people are joining together to be social and get rid of some of the stress that is constantly placed upon them by the academic rigor of this place.
You instead want me to do what? Am I supposed to unwind from my govy classes and chem labs by kicking back in Brace Commons by myself with a nice essay on Homer that I've just been dying to read? Hell, no. I want to go out, put classes as far away from my mind as I can, and try to learn the stuff that actually matters, like learning how to have a conversation with someone about something that is mutually interesting to us, and realize what this person has to offer me that I can take with me and actually care about. These are unteachable things that you don't learn by surfing the web or playing the cello. It doesn't matter whether I do it in Aquinas House or the basement of the nastiest frat on campus (choose for yourself).
If I'm drinking at the time and I'm not 21, big deal! This past week alone I have seen cops on campus breaking up no less than six parties. Safety and Security just busted a friend of mine who had an unopened bottle of booze in his room and was playing his radio too loud. Even this summer in DC, I would get agitated whenever I saw a green minivan because my fear of S and S is so ingrained. And absolutely no one has been able to explain to me the difference between buying eight cases of Beast tall boys or having it all come out of a large metal barrel. It's even reusable and therefore environmentally conscious. What more do you want from us! LeHigh has a no-keg policy as well, so instead of getting kegs, their fraternities simply buy 72 cases of beer for every party. Wow, I guess they learned a lesson, huh? And despite all these deterrents and attempts to stop me from doing what I want to do, I'm still going to go out Saturday night and get plowed. Yes, I admit it, I am under 21 and I have consumed alcohol at Dartmouth. I am the enemy! I am the scourge of the Ivy League. I even hear that some people on campus have smoked pot! Scandalous!
I'm not saying that alcohol abuse should be rampant and unchecked. Persons very close to me are living proof that drinking too much is bad. But if I want to do something, I'm not going to stop just because I might get caught. Instead, perhaps the school could find some less destructive means of preaching the virtues of moderation. Many people come to this school having never been set free from their sheltered youth. The first thing they want to do is drink. It's the thing to do. Go out and drink because you can. Then get so drunk that you boot everywhere, then get taken to Dick's House because you were stupid. Then tell your friends the terrific story. Then do it again and again and again. The school does absolutely nothing to say that it is also fun some nights to not drink, and to go to a movie or whatever. What they do tell you is that you can go to Dick's House and not get in trouble for being too drunk. So, freshmen, don't worry about getting too drunk, you can always spend the night at Dick's House (for a modest fee), and if we catch you drinking, we're going to get you in lots of trouble. How would that be?
Why not this approach instead: Hey, we realize that you are new to school and will experiment with lots of stuff, AND THAT WE CAN'T STOP YOU, but we want you to realize that there is plenty of other stuff you can do as well and that drinking too much is really not healthy for you. Be careful, and don't be obvious or we will have to bust you because it is after all against the law. And, in the event that you do happen to get too drunk, we will take care of you if you want and will not make you pay money for services unless you ask for them.
Deal with me like a person. I guarantee my animosity will quickly disappear.
