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Column: Straight Out of Compton

Straight Out of Compton (Vol. 2)

Published: February 5, 2009, 12:30 am ET
By
Collegian Columnist

Top 10 Themes the Lodges SHOULD have, because who doesn’t enjoy a good themed party?

10. Beauty and the Geek. Self-explanatory; watch the show for inspiration. Bonus: Whoever is working the list asks IQ quiz questions in order to allow entrance to the lodge (just kidding, that would be really annoying).

9. Saturday Night Live. Though I’m not a big fan of Saturday night lodges (Sundays are kind of imperative), the opportunity to dress as any Saturday Night Live skit would be tempting. Suggestions: Sarah Palin, Two Wild and Crazy Guys.

8. Courtesy of the University of Tulsa, Rubik’s Cube. Go out wearing articles of clothing of all different colors, come home wearing an outfit composed of only one color. (Note: Interchanging of clothes should clearly be done in a discreet and tasteful fashion).

7. Twins. Dress to match a friend. Good bonding experience, and no worries if you see someone else wearing the same outfit as you. Bonus: Dress as famous twins. Shotty on Mary-Kate.

6. In an effort to legitimize all the photos that appear on Facebook on Sundays, Celebrities and Paparazzi. Think Lindsay Lohan, not Britney Spears, since no one needs to attack anyone with a baseball bat.

5. East Coast vs. West Coast. Though I’m a Midwesterner myself and hate to encourage glorification of the coasts, this theme clearly has good outfit options. Whether you dress according to fashion (think The Hills vs. the City) or according to hip-hop rivalry (I’ll be dressing straight out of Compton, thank you), the options are endless.

4. In accordance with D-Hall’s efforts to do so, Go Green – only wear recyclable materials. Keep in mind that your outfit may deteriorate; wear appropriate underclothes.

3. Hometown Pride. So, where are you from? We’ve all answered this question, and I think it’s time we have an opportunity to dress accordingly. I’m ready with my Cardinals hat, and just so you know, I won’t be dancing with any Cubs or Red Sox fans.

2. It would be like, so random … Povo Public Schools vs. Private Schools. Shout-out to Summer Heights High, and remember, “just because you go to a public school and you’re povo, doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.” Suggestion: Sign each other’s uniforms. 

1. Bias Response Team. Don’t wear anything derogatory; be proud to be yourself.

Contact columnist Susie Compton at susie.compton@richmond.edu

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  • Vickey

    Using the term “povo” (meaning one is from poverty) is an insult to those at our university who actually come from backgrounds of poverty. At a school dominated by trust-fund babies, attending public school is a black mark on one socially already. Most people at UR who graduated from public school went to well-funded, suburban schools. (I am from a lower-middle class family and attended an extremely nice public school.) There are people at this university who have had to rise above the situation into which they were born. Claiming that anyone who went to a public school is “povo” wipes away the accomplishments of those who came from actual poverty.

  • http://www.thecollegianur.com Susie

    Vickey-
    While I can see how you took this theme as offensive, it is meant to be a reference to a television show, in which the character who uses terms like “povo” IS meant to be completely ridiculous and pretentious. I didn’t mean this to be a reflection on how I actually think (I went to public school…) but just enjoy the show and find it funny. I would never judge someone or a group of people based on their income level or background, but I apologize.

  • Trey

    Vickey-

    Please stop trying to instigate class warfare.

  • Katherine

    it’s a tv show… get over it. watch hbo for once.

  • Alan Charlus Kors

    Regardless of the intent, the impact has caused an offense.

    On another note, I again found this column to be a bit superficial and verging on gossip. This subject is more suitable for a site like Juicy Campus. Actually, I believe a LiveJournal account would be more suitable even because as in Vol 1, which was basically a personal account of your seemingly drunken evening, it pertained to your opinion about how to create a cool party. I assume you (or your companions) became drunk through an insinuation that one fell “from the stage and/or a dance on the bar”

    I am sure the Richmond campus has more pressing issues to face then the theme of a lodge or the music play list of the party. I also question he sincerity of theme 1.

    I have been reflecting on your last article’s point where you urged the reader to reflect:
    (I’ve made this comment to others before, and was once asked by an alumnus whether I was “too drunk or too horny” to notice. I’ll leave you to reflect on that one.)

    Through my deep soul search, I have realized that this night out captures aspects of the Richmond community that some find either acceptable or deplorable. This seemingly drunken night of shenanigans only perpetuates the perceived acceptance of dangerous activities. I do not have a problem with drinking or the lodges. I only wish people would do it in more moderation and respect.

    Just as you left us a point of reflection, I leave you one. Did you notice the homogeneity of the participants at the lodges? Did you notice the under representation of racial, ethnic, lgbtq, and disabled students? Addressing issues like these seem more important for a serious venue of expression, as opposed to a diary entry.

  • Dave

    Look, I came from a middle class background as well and I have had days when I couldn’t afford to eat. It’s really not that big a deal. If you go through life getting offended by people who don’t mean it and maybe didn’t think before they said something, you are going to have an unhappy life. No big deal Susie. We are in two wars and a recession / borderline depression. Seriously, get over it. It might do to remember that a lot of people with those “trust funds” are suffering with this economy as well. Some of them have lost everything. So stop rushing to judgment. Who cares about what the lodge looked like and who went. I’ve been to the lodges, I don’t like them so I don’t go. No bid deal. Stop looking for something to get offended about.

  • Kevin

    I understand that we all can get upset about various things, but realistically the authors suggestions are nowhere near as bad as the Cinco De Mayo theme for Santa Clara which was Dress as your favorite Mexican. The author is entitled to her opinion, and it may not be the popular opinion, but at least support the fact that she wrote the article with good humor.

  • Vickey

    I’m not trying to attack Susie, nor am I attempting to instigate class warfare. I’m just simply tired of the assumption that everyone has the experience of the dominant culture at the University of Richmond.

    Yeah, I don’t watch HBO. So what? Will my life be less rich because of it? My guess is that most people at UR didn’t know what “povo” meant. I had to look it up on Urban Dictionary.

    When one is part of a privileged group–whether that be white, male, straight, non-disabled, middle- to upper-class, native-born U.S. citizen, etc.–it’s easy to overlook the fact that those without that privilege have a much different experience of life. If one is not aware of that privilege, one will never have the rich life that could have been, created an appreciation and valuing of the diversity that comes with being an ally to those underrepresented groups.

    All I’m trying to do is make others aware that they have the advantage of privilege when talking about a show on HBO or never questioning why there aren’t more non-white, non-heterosexual, international, or disabled students at the lodges. Yes, I’m loud about it. It’s because it bothers me, and I want it to bother you too. I want Spiders to leave college with more than textbook knowledge and memories of drinking on the weekend. I want UR to produce open-minded, self-aware students that recognize the role of privilege in the society that we live in.

  • Megan Wilson

    Vickey,
    The opinion pages are open to all members of the University of Richmond community. If you would like the opinion pages to better reflect student sentiment or garner more intellectual conversation, then you are welcome to take the time that Susie does each week to give us a piece of your mind. The Collegian does not turn away any opinion articles unless they are vulgar or personally offensive. Get your column into Michael Rogers by 5 p.m. Sunday and it is guaranteed to be in that week’s paper.

    Thank you,
    Megan Wilson
    Editor in Chief

  • Sarah

    “I’m not trying to attack Susie, nor am I attempting to instigate class warfare….
    All I’m trying to do is make others aware… I want UR to produce open-minded, self-aware students that recognize the role of privilege in the society that we live in”

    Interesting comments Vickey given your last 2 facebook status updates…

    First we have “Vickey thinks that “Straight Out of Compton” in the Collegian is lame and Ms. Compton is shallow and pretentious.”

    Followed by “Vickey says, “Really, Megan Wilson? You’re telling ME to submit a letter to the Collegian’s opinion section?” I’m so ready to get the fuck out of this hellhole.”

    If you’re not trying to attack anybody and want an open minded student body, clean up your OPEN facebook. (anyone in the Richmond network can see it)

  • Nolan

    Megan,
    Your note inviting Vickey to write an opinion article came across to me as incredibly dismissive of her points of view. I don’t think anyone is unaware of the time spent putting the paper together and I certainly don’t know why you needed to remind others about what Susie does with her time. (Your words came across to me as saying “Vickey hasn’t written a column for two weeks so she has no idea what she’s talking about. If she wants to invest the time of writing a column then – and only then – will I listen to what she has to say.”) I am confident that this was not your intent, but this is how I perceived your words.

    I’d also point out that Vickey has written at least one opinion article this year which did start several “intelligent” conversations about the assumptions present in various Westhampton College traditions. Point being, I think she knows how to write a letter to the editor. But, we’re in the opinion section of the paper now and I think Vickey made a valid point and has started a good discussion among the online readers of The Collegian.

  • Amicus

    Thank you Sarah for that personal attack. I enjoyed your Juicy Campus style attack.

  • Franklin

    this is HILARIOUS!

  • AMICUS

    Whoever wrote a comment under the name Amicus- I am the original Amicus- I wrote the Op Ed piece in response to letter from the Closet This Past Week. While I admire your enthusiasm in taking up the sword against unjust and derogatory language, I would appreciate that you use a different pen name in the future. Thanks!

  • AMICUS

    As long as I am posting though, I would like to point out that within the broader scheme of social justice, Vickey was not engineering class warfare. Her response points out that there are a large number of economically privileged students on this campus who must be more aware of the privilege that they enjoy and who need to avoid making broad, derogatory generalizations they make about those who have less, whether intentional or not. Ouch! Then educate. That’s what Vicky did. She told Susie, “Ouch! Your article offended me”. But she was in no way being hostile. Vickey explained that she and the many others who went to public schools and pored over the books with the same fervor as the students here from private school backgrounds were deeply saddened by Susie’s use of the phrase, “PoVo Public Schools”. They felt that the phrase undercut all the hard work they put in to get to the University of Richmond.

    As for it being from a TV show, that is irrelevant. I do not care. I do not want to hear excuses. A derogatory statement is a derogatory statement is a derogatory statement, period. Racial and ethnic slurs can become used over and over again until we become callous to them. And although we become callous to these poisonous words, there is no excuse for us continuing to spread the filth that they ooze.

    The Bottom Line: Think before you speak or perform any kind of act of communication. We need to be kind because everyone is fighting their own battle. Obviously the other Amicus that applauded a personal attack WAS NOT ME. I would never condone such a thing. And as for Megan and The Collegian staff, free speech is fine. All I ask is that you use careful discretion in selecting tasteful material to print in the paper.

    And hey, Susie, I forgive you. Let’s all forgive Susie. Vickey gave her an Ouch! Then Educate. And many others joined in. Now let’s give her another chance!

  • Vickey

    Thanks, AMICUS. I would like to clarify, however: I’m not claiming a background from a disadvantaged community. I grew up in a suburb (well, technically it was an “exurb”–not quite suburban, not quite rural) where the public school system was well funded. I’m pointing out that there are people at UR who have come from extreme poverty.

    Also, I’ll publicly apologize for the Facebook statuses. They were in poor taste. I’m sorry Susie and Megan. I hope that they don’t take away from the “ouch, then educate,” as AMICUS so nicely put it.

    • Caroline

      Please, Vickey. You're from Durham. That's rural.

  • allen

    the self-righteous fun police strike again

  • Dave

    You know what, I’m tired of people who have never known what its like to have no money and to not know where their next meal is coming from getting offended for me. Or trying to speak for me or trying to defend my delicate sensibilities or stand up for where I came from. I scraped and scratched for everything I have and worked hard to be where I am because mom and dad didn’t have a ton of excess income to support their son. I’m proud of the days that I went without food because they made me a stronger, more self sufficient person and I don’t need defending. When you take to the comment section in my defense it undercuts my accomplishments. When somebody presumes to talk for me it puts that person on a self-righteous moral high-ground and you haven’t earned your spot there. Keep writing Susie, you don’t need forgiveness from anybody for anything. This whole Ouch! Then educate line is crap. If you are getting offended by a collegian article that carelessly mentioned a word then you have obviously not had a very rough life. And, despite having gone through rough times, either have I. We all do pretty well if we are here.

    Second, who at Richmond I’d like to know, comes from extreme poverty? Extreme poverty is Zimbabwe or the slums of Calcutta. Extreme poverty is Darfur or Djibouti. Unless we have students from there, or who have been homeless for extended periods of time (a real possibility) then nobody here comes from extreme poverty.

    Get over yourselves.

  • Trey

    A few things –

    1) I don’t get why everybody foams at the mouth with regards to Juicy Campus. Uh-oh! Did I just offend people that suffer from rabies?

    2) I don’t know this Susie girl but she seems pretty inoffensive. Oh no! People like to get drunk at lodges! Sometimes this leads to promiscuity! Somebody alert the mainstream media! My only real complaint against her is that she didn’t add “Shiite Bros and Sunni Hos” to her list. That should have been automatic Number One.

    3) I second the “Get over yourselves” comments. People get so self-righteous about these things.

    4) Finally, we are all going to have different life experiences. One of the greatest professors I’ve ever had, Dr. Karagaac, once pointed out to class that just because the room was almost entirely white and heavily male, did not mean that it was necessary less diverse than a room with an eclectic multi-ethnic mix. Yeah, I don’t know what its like to live in poverty, but you probably don’t know what drunk D-Hall is like at 8 in the morning.

  • Caroline

    Please, Vickey. You're from Durham. That's rural.