This is an opinion article by a current Principia College student. The Pilot welcomes letters to the editor and opinion articles from the whole community. Please submit to [email protected].
Principia College administration has made public a draft Student Code of Conduct. Among many other changes, the draft includes revisions to the current policies regarding alcohol consumption. The final open forum to discuss the draft, suggest changes, and ask questions is today, Dec. 9, 2020, from 11:55-12:50 CDT. The Zoom link can be found in the Oct. 29 Watercooler announcement.
Before we left campus and stopped what we were doing
Need I remind you what your fellow Principians were pursuing?
It isn’t news to hear that there are students who were drinking
They caved into the pressure, and for themselves they weren’t thinking
The reason that some chose to come to this school
Is because drinking is rare and against community rules
When choosing Principia, I guess I was misled
By the things that I heard and the things that I read
We as a school share one common entity
But it seems that we’ve forgotten our true identity
Attending a school with a religion we share
You’d think people would come to church or show that they care
They’re tired, they’re sleeping, they don’t want to; moreover –
A reason they don’t come is because they’re hungover
But before they’re obedient, there are rules they’d defy
Spend their nights getting wasted or by getting high
They do this because they value what others may think
They have to impress their friends, so they pick up that drink
“You do you,” “I won’t snitch” – I find that disappointing
But nobody wants to tell and be accused of finger-pointing
By drinking and partying, poor morals are produced
And when somebody catches them, they’re somehow excused
The fact that it’s happening – administration it doesn’t shock
But before students change their behavior, they’d rather add locks
We need locks on doors, sadly, to make us feel secure
But more drinking in private that will also ensure
Admin fails to honor the students who want to be here
Just a light slap-on-wrist lets the kids keep their beer
“It doesn’t really matter, it happens at other schools”
Then what makes Principia different if the students act like fools?
When they spend their weekends in a room getting drunk,
Does their self-worth increase, or do they find that it’s shrunk?
What is the goal that they hope to achieve?
That drinking makes them fit in? Then it’s themselves they’ve deceived
I know hearing this might be hard or be new,
If you want to keep drinking, maybe Principia is not right for you
This isn’t about you and it’s not about me
It’s about how we work as a community
This school is for Christian Scientists who prioritize their studies
Rather than getting drunk in their dorm with their buddies
This trend of drinking is a glorified chain reaction
But we’ll see it continue unless we take action
We’ve lost sight of what matters, it’s all out of focus
The direction we’re headed is grim, haven’t you noticed?
This immature behavior has gone on for too long
If we embody Principia then please, prove me wrong
I thought this was a community with high-morals, strong-thinkers
But I am disappointed to say that I’m surrounded by drinkers.
