As I'm sure you all know, this weekend is State Patty's Day. State Patty's Day (SPD) is an invented holiday by Penn State students where the only purpose of the day is to drink as much alcohol. SPD has gotten various media coverage because of the elevated numbers of alcohol-related hospitalizations that happen over the weekend. Many students from around the country frequent the State College area for this excuse to get drunk. But what does this holiday say about Penn State, especially when it is coming a weekend after THON?
After THON, and over $10.6 million raised FTK, the common theme among Penn State students is that our reputation as a world class institution and student body has been restored. Then again, with SPD following the next weekend, I don't see how the great things done at THON will automatically outweigh all the bad that has happened and surely will this weekend. I'm not saying students shouldn't be allowed to go out and have fun, but they have to realize the consequences associated with doing such, and should not complain because of these consequences.
SPD has also helped to confirm Penn State as one of the top "party schools" in the country. This is a reputation that the administration and parts of the student body are vehemently against, but that others embrace. I wonder how much this truly hurts job opportunities for Penn Staters, since the alumni connection is said to be so strong between those who have never even met. The fact is, many students factor in how the parties at potential colleges are before choosing the college they attend. If the party school reputation brings in more students, is that necessarily a bad thing? I understand that students who simply make a decision based off of how good a school's parties are might not be the best students, but the most innovative people are not always the best in school. Steve Jobs dropped out of college before creating Apple. I know that's an incredibly rare case, but it DOES happen.
Basically, I'm split on how to perceive SPD. On one hand, I can see the negative attention it brings to the university, and why that potentially should be stopped. On the other hand, I see it as a way to bring friends up to your school, and show them a good time. I guess the only real suggestion I have is to have a good time, but always in moderation. When you're having way too much fun in a particular instance, chances are something is wrong with the situation.
I am actually nervous for this weekend, and kind of feel like being a hermit to avoid any trouble that might make its way toward me. I, too, hope that whatever happens this weekend does not overshadow everything good that happened as a result of THON, and hopefully people outside the State College community recognize that while THON was purely PSU students, State Patty's Day involves students from many more instutions outside our own. Seeing as people outside of State College have heard about the events that happen during this self-named holiday, I think a lot of their perceptions are influenced by media coverage of negative events associated with certain people's extensive drinking. I guess that somehow persuades people into coming for fun, but hopefully fulfilling their expectations for any certain type of fun do not go too far and cause damage.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's such a tricky issue. One of the really troubling aspects of this is that, for better or worse, the "holiday" reflects on the entire community. And while obviously not everyone is CULPABLE for what goes on--and it really is as bad as you've heard--there is a sense in which everyone who participates is RESPONSIBLE. Too often I think we lump the two concepts together; since we're not (legally) culpable, we often think we don't have any responsibility in the matter.
ReplyDeleteBut people do sometimes bear collective responsibility. At the least, we're responsible for our collective reputation as Penn Staters, so I applaud efforts to keep things from getting out of control this weekend. (Plus, as a taxpayer, it's downright expensive to hire so many extra police just to keep student riots and belligerence from getting too out of control--another reason why there are real town/gown relation problems in Happy Valley.)