Outsiders unwelcome at music festival
Padrick Dennis
Issue date: 5/24/06 Section: Opinion
Buffalo Creek is one of my favorite W&L events, but opening it to people outside the W&L community has lessened the enjoyment.
While I enjoy burning couches and other things that have outlived their useful lives, I have been informed that it is not socially acceptable to burn hippies. Having come to terms with that, quite a bit of time was spent warding off the hippiegeists who thought that a large pile of combustible materials, brought by my truck in several trips, had fallen like manna from heaven to satisfy everyone's inner pyromaniac.
Generic conservative joking aside, outsiders have changed the atmosphere of Buffalo Creek. Freshman year, I didn't have to wonder if the new guy was going to steal something or try to pick a fight with me; he was probably some upperclassman I hadn't met.
Last year had changed some, but this year, the huge influx of people from outside the W&L community seemed almost threatening…until it actually became threatening. That's another story, but suffice it to say full beer cans thrown at one's face is not quite as fun as burning a couch.
Admission should be limited to the W&L community for safety reasons, the same reasons parties on campus are patrolled regularly. If admission to Buffalo Creek were limited to the W&L community, people wouldn't have to worry about making sure their cars were locked or constantly looking out for who might be lurking around waiting to help themselves to someone else's possessions. Of course, the opportunity to be disturbed by senior citizens making out on a soon-to-be-burned frat couch would have been passed by too.
Opening Buffalo Creek to the public for a few dollars can't produce too much revenue, yet it generates tons of liability. W&L students, within reason, can handle interactions with other W&L students, but that is not always the case with people who are not familiar with W&L culture. Some people don't have any appreciation for honor or gentlemanly conduct, which can eventually lead to problems. For example, what happens when some random guy takes Traveler back to the quad? Or, what about when some townies get upset that you won't share your beer with them? The answer to that is rather interesting…ask around.
Jumping away from Buffalo Creek, to my surprise the school year is almost over. While underclassmen will be returning, Seniors, you have few chances left to fail, I suggest you take advantage of them. Sure, it would cost your parents another trillion dollars or however much tuition is next year, but isn't another year of freedom worth it?
Padrick Dennis can be reached at dennisp@wlu.edu
While I enjoy burning couches and other things that have outlived their useful lives, I have been informed that it is not socially acceptable to burn hippies. Having come to terms with that, quite a bit of time was spent warding off the hippiegeists who thought that a large pile of combustible materials, brought by my truck in several trips, had fallen like manna from heaven to satisfy everyone's inner pyromaniac.
Generic conservative joking aside, outsiders have changed the atmosphere of Buffalo Creek. Freshman year, I didn't have to wonder if the new guy was going to steal something or try to pick a fight with me; he was probably some upperclassman I hadn't met.
Last year had changed some, but this year, the huge influx of people from outside the W&L community seemed almost threatening…until it actually became threatening. That's another story, but suffice it to say full beer cans thrown at one's face is not quite as fun as burning a couch.
Admission should be limited to the W&L community for safety reasons, the same reasons parties on campus are patrolled regularly. If admission to Buffalo Creek were limited to the W&L community, people wouldn't have to worry about making sure their cars were locked or constantly looking out for who might be lurking around waiting to help themselves to someone else's possessions. Of course, the opportunity to be disturbed by senior citizens making out on a soon-to-be-burned frat couch would have been passed by too.
Opening Buffalo Creek to the public for a few dollars can't produce too much revenue, yet it generates tons of liability. W&L students, within reason, can handle interactions with other W&L students, but that is not always the case with people who are not familiar with W&L culture. Some people don't have any appreciation for honor or gentlemanly conduct, which can eventually lead to problems. For example, what happens when some random guy takes Traveler back to the quad? Or, what about when some townies get upset that you won't share your beer with them? The answer to that is rather interesting…ask around.
Jumping away from Buffalo Creek, to my surprise the school year is almost over. While underclassmen will be returning, Seniors, you have few chances left to fail, I suggest you take advantage of them. Sure, it would cost your parents another trillion dollars or however much tuition is next year, but isn't another year of freedom worth it?
Padrick Dennis can be reached at dennisp@wlu.edu
Be the first to comment on this story