stupid freshmen

So we've all heard stories about Gallaudet freshmen. Most often discussed (to me) is that they are known for pulling false fire alarms at all hours of the night. This has been happening for YEARS. The freshmen classes are renown for that. There are signs posted next to each alarm warning suspension or expulsion from school for pulling a false fire alarm now. I wonder if the alarms bother hearing or deaf kids more... either way, you're woken up in the middle of the night and have to evacuate. Sucks if you got 8am class.

I've been told that these freshmen also know how to party. Or think they do? Getting drunk every night, party party party, making out, sleeping around, what do I know. I just hear stories, and the scene is definitely too cool for me.

Once (or twice?) a year, the freshmen also will dye their hair (men and women) and then shave it off (men and women). But everybody's doin' it, Mom!

I'm not exactly sure why. Why the alarms, the parties, the shaved heads- and probably many more things out of the ordinary that I am not allowed to know about (as a hearing kid, living off campus, graduate student?). I've asked around for others' opinions on the subject. What they tel me is that every year, the freshman class tries to "outdo" the previous class. Get more strikes against them, have badder parties, be more crazy, more often.

Apparently both last year and this year, someone smeared FECES on the buttons in one of the elevators in the dorm. SERIOUSLY? I think you all can guess my opinion here. What do you all think? Funny or freaky?

But why? Why is this so important to be more off-the-wall? What my buddies come up with is that this is the way freshmen rebel. I suppose they are rebelling against what society has expected of them, pressured them to become, forced them to stay out of, or grown to antagonize. And ya know what, I totally respect that. Kids get a chance to move out of their parents home, find other buddies that are just like them, who have similar experiences, similar habits, who understand them better than their own families. Of course they want to experiment with limits and boundaries, with obligations and labels. With sexuality and debauchery. But POO in the ELEVATOR? Really? Shit? From your ass? Is that worth it?

Honestly, I think that if you want to change how you look or act to be different than everyone else for the sake of finding your identity, totally cool with me. Do what you gotta do. BUT, if you go so far, and plan, and execute, a shitty idea that is so disrespectful to others??! FUCK YOU, I say. And I'm not the one who has to live in your dorm, use your elevator, clean up your shit. I can't imagine how they feel. Some prolly cheer for you, but others prolly hate you. Idiot.

Another buddy brought up a REALLY good point. A LOTTTT of Gallaudet students get a sweet financial aid package. And they depend on that to even go to classes. And the truth is, when something is handed to you for free, you treat it a lot differently than if you were paying for it. You'd want to get your money's worth. You would have more respect for the goods you paid for. You earned that cash and now you decided this route- you better take advantage of each day and not miss a class unless you are bleeding! Heh. So maybe they might not value the situation they are so generously placed into? They decide to go on to an institution of higher learning. Some will take the offer with open arms and enjoy it and graduate and LEARN something. Some will decide to go on because someone else told them they have to, to go get laid, to go get drunk, enjoy it and maybe graduate. Hmm. Curious. What do you think?