This townie is mad. Irate, even. My fists are clenched, swears dominate my word choice and there is actually a visible chip on my shoulder.
With my upcoming graduation in May (just vomited on my keyboard), I need all the fun at college I can get these last few weeks, and I'm afraid that Tufts just isn't willing to let fun happen. I just want to be awesome; is that too much to ask?
The situation is this: Tufts is a school of prestige, international relations and unparalleled academia. And this very stature is why Tufts won't let itself have fun the way other schools do (If you just said, "Well that's why you go to Tufts, you're above that," that's a huge cop out, and you need to find your inner townie ASAP).
I am proud to say I go to Tufts when thinking of academics - they're second to none here and that's not up for debate. But it's the other side of the school, the social scene, that is starting to make people say, "Let's go party at Wellesley tonight," or "I hope Tisch is open this Saturday."
This past Saturday, my friends and I went down to the fields with some burgers, some dogs and a keg ... full of Natty Light and school spirit. Who doesn't want a delectable burger washed down by some liquid gold while watching a sweet, tasty lacrosse game?
The weather was ideal, the home team took home the victory, we were satiated and buzzed, and Tufts actually felt fun. We even cleaned up completely after ourselves to make sure the school would let us do it again, assuming if we respected that then we could keep our fun privileges.
Unfortunately, the fun police caught wind of a good time being had, and pounced at the next opportunity.
At the lax game on Tuesday night, they made us pack up and leave as if our keg was full of anthrax. We weren't even allowed to grill burgers and dogs, and about 10 minutes later, another Tufts sports team set up shop 10 yards to the left of us, grilling so close that we could hear the meat crackling in the fire.
What happened? The Tufts spirit was replaced by bad karma, and the cheering never reached the level of Saturday's revelry. (There isn't one cheer I can write down without offending someone; that's how you know it was good.)
Some of you are probably thinking, "This kid's a drunk; no one in their right mind would let students drink at sporting events."
And you're right ... about the first part. As for the second part, I'd believe you if I hadn't been to numerous games at other schools where the stands felt more like Mardi Gras than athletics.
I'm not saying Tufts needs to be like a state school or a place where one can slug beers anywhere and everywhere. (Though it would be sweet for like a day if Tufts was one big drinking game. Late for class? Chug. Within 100 yards of the library? Funnel.)
We weren't harming anyone (except for maybe the opposing team's goalie), and if anything, we gave our team a true home-field advantage.
What is it to Tufts if some of its seniors, who have worked hard here for four long years, decide to have a few adult sodas and some lunch on a sunny, spring day? Isn't that what senior spring is?
Granted, this article is a relatively spoiled one indeed. I'm about to graduate from one of the best schools in the entire country and I'm complaining about not having enough fun. I'm sorry, but to me, and many of my friends, fun is a huge aspect of a good college experience, along with a respected diploma.
People keep telling me that graduating is just the beginning, that the best times of my life are still ahead of me, and I believe that, to a certain extent. I'm sure starting a family is a feeling like no other and having success in an occupation can be as rewarding as anything I can do in college (except for maybe the time I did a minute long keg stand, or the time I convinced an entire tour group I spent time in prison).
But college is not the time to worry about the next step. It's the time to have fun in the now, and I think Tufts is forgetting this.
Too many students feel the pressure of getting a high-paying job right away and let their thoughts of a rich future get in the way of their last moments in school. Granted, I'm most likely going to be bagging groceries or pulling weeds this summer while I figure out my plan, but I don't want to look back at Tufts and think I could have had more fun.
Unfortunately, that last sentence was literal. I can basically see Tufts from my house.
Pete McKeown is a senior majoring in English. He can be reached at
peter.mckeown@tufts.edu.
