Go Big Orange!

OK, this morning has been Salon-heavy, but it's just the AP wires, ya know.

I was planning on discussing this article about ranking "party schools" anyway, when I read that my alma mater, The University of Tennessee (Knoxville), ranked as the top "party school" in the Princeton Review, a college guide. Wow. I am so proud. I mean, I always hoped as much, and I knew that adding those seats at Neyland Stadium would help, but I never dreamed that one day my degree and honors student/magna cum laude status would be rendered completely invalid by the Greek-centric, sports-obsessed, date-rape-lovin' student body. It warms the cockles of my cold, cold heart to know that not only is Strong Hall, the historic and haunted dormitory I lived in, being torn down in favor of a newer, much less attractive building, but also that even a university presidential sex-scandal couldn't stop the kids from rock 'n' rolling all night and partying ev-ery day.

More to the point of the article, the AMA needs to get its head out of its collective ass and wake up to what the rest of us already know: a whole lot of kids go to college without any idea of what they want to do with their lives. They know they can stave off living in the real world for four (or six) years by going to college, and may even like the idea of studying. But a little taste of freedom goes a long way. Even the most responsible students have been known to hit the beer bong once or twice, or find themselves lying on the floor of their dorm bathroom, savoring the feel of the cool tile, praying for sweet death. I started smoking a pack a day as soon as I hit my freshman dorm. I didn't drink a lot in college, but I wasn't exactly sober, ifyouknowwhatImean. I saw a lot of kids become alcoholics in college, which is sad. However, I think, left to their own devices, it would have happened anyway. Weak people may find a lot of temptation at a university, but they're by nature weak. They'll screw up anywhere. Besides, I don't think that the Princeton Review is irresponsible for printing the top party schools. Anyone who chooses to go to a certain college based on that criterion is fundamentally messed up anyway.

Hmm, do I sound too judgemental? I'm having a hard time turning down the "bitchy and superior" volume this morning.