Late to the party

This is a new limited series that aims to break down and address the current social state of the campus and social life here at UAA. This will be the beginning of a handful of stories written by me that discuss how we, as students, as well as the administration as a whole, can hopefully improve the experience and social life on campus.

I won’t sugarcoat it. Most students here walk to class with their headphones in and look aimlessly at their shoes while they meander their way to their next class — if they are even attending a class in person.

While registering for class this semester, it became an actual chore to find courses that were offered in person — what the hell is that about? I am sure that I will address that in a later article, but it is yet another factor that actively destroys the social life on campus.

How are we supposed to make friends if all of our classes are conducted in Zoom rooms? Yes, I understand some people need to attend courses from a distance, but that should be no reason courses are not offered both in person and online simultaneously.

So many classes being conducted over Zoom has allowed students to get too comfortable. Being uncomfortable is an integral part of development. You are not supposed to go through college feeling totally comfortable and safe; this is supposed to be a risky situation. Now, everyone simply sits in a Zoom room and stays completely silent, even having their camera off in many situations.

I blame COVID-19 and the fact that many kids never learned that it was necessary for them to put themselves in uncomfortable positions and to take risks in order to experience certain aspects of life that they may otherwise never have been exposed to.

The core argument of this article, however, is to illuminate something that I personally find to be one of the biggest issues on this campus: the severe lack of partying on a state-level college campus is appalling.

Every Thursday through Sunday should be filled with rowdy, rambunctious late nights, and each morning should be accompanied by sunglasses worn to brunch and a debilitating hangover, only to be met with claims that “tonight will be even better than last night.”

If you are a reader who is afraid of getting in trouble with either the university or your parents, just remember that each and every single one of them has had a wild streak within their own lives. You are young, you are supposed to make mistakes and get in just a little bit of trouble.

I, of course, am not condoning that any of our readers go out and break any laws, but I am stating that you are not supposed to rigidly do your homework and not have any fun while you are at school. In fact it is a core component of the college experience that you cut loose a little bit.  

Of course, not everyone has fun by partying. For those of you who do not have or see any fun from the party scene, just remember that the more parties that there are, the more that social life in other areas will bloom.

People will begin to make more friends who have interests other than what they would normally expose themselves to, which in turn may guide them to joining clubs or other social groups on campus.

While there may be some issues that accompany Greek life at the larger state schools of the Lower 48, it is undeniable that these atmospheres and groups bolster the strength of a campus’s social life, while also supplying the school itself with a strong and supportive alumni association.

This strong alumni association would provide a nice stream of revenue for the college in question, which as we all know, is something that the university cares deeply about.

You may be wondering what any of this has to do with the importance of partying on campus though, and the answer is quite simple: The more partying that happens on campus, the more social life on campus can heal.

Instead of being encouraged to hang out outside of our classes, instead of being encouraged to have a few drinks responsibly with our friends, we are constantly greeted with UPD knocking on our doors because of a noise complaint or because we violated the absurd maximum guest limit.

Another complaint that I have heard around campus is that some people have roommates who are complete buzzkills and who contact the RA as soon as you do something that they don't like.

This is where Fraternity-Sorority Life (FSL) housing would come in handy and counter a lot of the issues that arise on campus between the party crowd and the non-partiers.

If the party crowd had a safe haven that they could go to in order to party without disturbing those who wish to be left alone, then we would not have to crack down so hard on impromptu apartment parties in the MACs or the Templewoods.

However, the university administration would never let that happen, because as much as they want to encourage social life on campus, they are also not willing to risk the liability that comes with that social life.

The university actively fights as hard as it can to contain the FSL here on campus, they are so afraid that they actively inhibit social life, especially when it comes from fraternities or sororities.

UAA, you cannot have it both ways. Let the people party, or let the social culture and environment on your campus die completely.

The lack of a robust social climate on campus is also creating a lackluster dating scene. College is incredibly important for the personal lives of students, especially when it comes to dating and finding out for yourself what type of person you are interested in and what type of relationship you are looking for.

There is a reason that it is a stereotype that when someone goes off to college they will leave their partner so that they can search for themselves. This is not the case here at UAA, everyone either has a significant other already or they express zero interest in dating in general.

Even if you are bold and outgoing, you will still have an incredibly difficult time finding someone to date on this campus. This further encourages the isolation within some students.

Remember friends, college is a time in your life where indulging in excess is tolerated, and, damn it, it's a part of the expectations young adults have had for generations when entering higher education.

You are supposed to party — that is what your early twenties are for — and since the responsibilities of college are so lax compared to what you will face once you enter the workforce, you may as well party your ass off now.

Drink responsibly, within reason; now is the time to make mistakes, because the real world will not be so easy on you if you decide to party later in life.

As previously stated, the law should be followed. Underage drinking is not appropriate. And if you decide to indulge in any intoxicating substance, whether it is alcohol or otherwise, please do not operate a motor vehicle. How is the party supposed to live on when you are behind bars or in a grave?

UAA, you are not a community college, so stop acting like one. Where every other campus around the country has bounced back from the damaging social effects of the pandemic, you seem to be late to the party. It is time to catch up.