Before You Decide Not to Run

Sorry Jack, but it just isn't fair to only present one side in the debate of whether or not to participate in NQR.

For those who are undecided on whether or not to strip down, bare all, and join hundreds of other Jumbos in a dashingly dashing dash around uphill, you hopefully haven't cast your verdict based solely on Jack Grimes' column ("Before you run" Nov. 25). At least hear the other side of the coin.

OK? Good.

With this in mind, I would like to examine Mr. Grimes' arguments and maybe offer one of my own. (Am I attempting to influence you in your decision-making? Yeah, probably, so read on at your own risk.)

"You will be very, very cold." Yup, you will be. But you'd be pretty cold just standing still while watching everybody run. At least you'll be moving around and have your blood circulating a little bit. But honestly, if you're undecided about running and you decide not to because of the cold, then... I dunno, pick a better reason not to run.

"You will be photographed. There is just no doubt about this one." Can't say I understand why there is certainty about being photographed. I haven't seen a single picture of myself. And while I've seen a single picture (just one) of a friend of mine, that was all. Yes, some shady townies will be there, and some will have cameras, but maybe some people actually like that. Most runners just don't care. I didn't specifically see any photographers while I was running last year, and ignorance is bliss, baby.

"You will be buck-naked." Well, this is true; you will be naked. I interpret Mr. Grimes' words as inspiration for a lot of runners, though: "To be nude is to hide nothing, to hold nothing back." Doesn't that sound pretty cool? Kinda like an action hero or something: This summer, one man will hold nothing back. "Get down!" I understand that girls are more self-conscious about their bodies than guys are, but there really isn't any gender specific advice I can offer.

The thing to remember if you are worried about being naked in front of people is that everybody else is in the same position you are. It might not sound all that comforting, but it really is quite meaningful. Once everybody starts pulling those clothes off in West, you join a group, and for a lot of people, that's pretty important. Not a single time last year did I hear anybody in West point to a fellow runner and make a crack (pun intended, apologies) about his/her body. There's nothing but love amongst those running. And if you're worried about the watchers, remember that you had the guts to run, so you've got the upper hand in that argument if they wanted to try and make themselves feel better about not running by trying to make fun of you. But believe me, people don't go around after the run saying "Did you see such-and-such's body? Maybe the fro-yo isn't fat-free!"

In no way am I saying that observers of NQR aren't running it because they lack the courage to do so; this is obviously not the case at all, as shown by Mr. Grimes. If you regard nudity as a private and solely intimate affair, then running is not for you, and I hope that I have not offended those who choose or have chosen not to run based upon legitimate reasons such as those.

I would simply like to present one point on why I believe undecided people should run: It's f**king fun! Honestly, how many times does the campus get a chance to really party all together? Twice: NQR, and Spring Fling, which we didn't even get last year.

I don't know a single person who has regretted running the run. Maybe that means something, like that it might be a good time. The night of NQR is just amazingly fun, but running it yourself adds an intangible to the evening: you helped make the night. Just going into West and grabbing some beers and saying "Have a good time" can be done on any given night. But for NQR, everyone there wants you to run with them, wants you to have fun and enjoy Tufts' coolest tradition. Plus, it's a free ticket to party just about anywhere in West, and if that ain't good, then I think I want to be bad.

In closing, make sure you do what you really want to do on the night of NQR; it's your body, so it's your choice. But whether you choose to run or not, drink or not, or watch or not, make sure you don't spend the whole night studying.

Josh Cohn is a sophomore majoring in Music.