The problem with Tufts

Let me begin this diatribe by stating that Tufts is not all bad. I have made some good friends in my time here, which began a little more than one year ago, and have met a lot of great people. I have had some noteworthy professors. The campus is attractive, and the food is pretty good. Nevertheless, I do not like it here. It did not take me long to formulate this opinion. Very quickly I sensed that, for the most part, I did not like a large contingent of the student body. I have seen very little evidence suggesting that my antipathy was ill-founded.

I do not like students who walk into the library with a Big Gulp of Dr. Pepper or a Grande Mocha Latte and act like spoiled brats when they are told they cannot bring it in. I loathe students who treat TA's like sub-humans, as if that pupil's inability to grasp a concept is the fault and responsibility of the TA.

I dislike students who leave trash all over the place in the student center, as if it is the custodian's job to pick it up. I object to hearing cafeteria workers given orders by overindulged students who rudely demand their sandwiches be made a certain way, and do not possess the common courtesy to say please or thank you. I abhor that students in the front row play games on their Palm Pilots and cell phones while a professor tries to give a lecture.

It frustrates me when a professor requests at the end of an exam that pencils be put down and nobody puts their damn pencils down. Essentially, I detect an overwhelming and completely undeserved sense of entitlement among many here at Tufts. My question to those individuals is this; what makes you so special?

Watching the Boston Red Sox defeat the Oakland Athletics Monday night in Hotung, I felt much of these emotions boil over in me. Students came and went, leaving their trash on the tables. I have learned not be surprised at that. However, as I listened to people laugh and cheer at the replays of Manny Ramirez walking nonchalantly down the first base line after hitting a 3-run homer, it occurred to me that Manny and his supporters lack many of the same fundamental tenets of bearing and conduct.

Manny was proving that he is an immature and spoiled prima Donna with little in the way of discipline or intestinal fortitude, not unlike many people here. He is a man whose similar sense of entitlement paves the way for his disgraceful displays of sportsmanship. Manny had done essentially nothing up to that point in the post-season. But he, like many students here, incorrectly assumes that the world, or the people in it, owes him something.

Prior to that embarrassment, Kevin Millar had lolly-gagged his way down the first base line after hitting what he believed was a single, only to be thrown out at second, hustling in an attempt to mask his egregious laziness when he saw the A's center fielder bobble the ball. Precious little outrage was expressed at these feeble displays of mettle.

Sadly, this leads me to conclude that such poor examples of professionalism are commonly embraced as the standard by a bunch of spineless sycophants -- the same people who predictably and gleefully jeered Barry Zito (the A's pitcher) during replays that revealed the pitcher's forlorn expression as Manny's ball sailed out of the park. I have news for those of you who were laughing at Zito: the lot of you are sorry punks who know nothing about true competition or character. I ask you again; what have you accomplished in your lifetime that eclipses a competitor like Zito's achievements?

No answer necessary. We both know it already.

Steve Williams is a post-baccalaureate student.