Social gathering-going etiquette is important for wholesome Kenyon nightlife — The Kenyon Collegian

At Kenyon, now we have nice events. You can inform from the turnout at all-campuses and the home events that spill onto the NCA garden each Saturday evening. In reality, I might argue that events are an vital a part of our tradition. We all migrate north because the solar units on Saturdays. We dance and sing with our previous mates, make new ones and revel in one another’s firm. When we get drained or hungry, we discover Trav and feast on Middle Path. But currently it appears individuals’s habits has been ruining the enjoyable. Maybe, as a result of it’s the begin of the 12 months, now we have to determine our etiquette once more, however I feel our events will be higher if our habits is simply too. Social occasions are presupposed to be enjoyable and supply a chance for college kids to let unfastened. This time is efficacious for a scholar physique like ours that works arduous in rigorous tutorial settings in the course of the week. But when our enjoyable turns into too rowdy, that area is ruined for all.

Take Wednesday Night Trivia, for instance. This weekly occasion is one alternative for us to play at Kenyon. Like a lot of my mates, I get my work executed forward of time in order that I can go to the Village Inn, snack, chat, get trivia questions improper and revel in myself in the midst of the week. It’s a implausible time for socializing. But, final 12 months, Trivia virtually obtained shut down after college students — regardless of weekly warnings — continued to illegally herald exterior alcohol, go away exterior trash on tables and customarily disrespect the hosts of Trivia and VI workers. This is one instance of poor etiquette ruining the enjoyable that all of us need to have. This beloved Kenyon  occasion was virtually taken away as a result of we strayed too removed from enjoyable towards disrespect.

I’ve additionally been at events the place that line has been crossed. Witnessing party-goers bothering one another, cussing at and even bodily hitting different individuals is one instance. I’ve had nights that suffered as a result of somebody was kicking others within the shins; or one other particular person was making my mates uncomfortable; or the hosts felt that the general vibe was not conducive to the occasion lasting any longer and shut the occasion down. Recently, a social occasion got here to an in depth after a scholar began placing cigarettes out on others. The hosts abruptly ended the occasion after Campus Safety officers confirmed up to reply to the harassment. All of those cases have been avoidable: You don’t should kick, harass or assault individuals. None of these issues are needed for having enjoyable or blowing off steam — in truth, they’re counterproductive.

Parties don’t should be all about degeneracy. In my expertise, having good conversations, assembly new individuals and having fun with Kenyon nightlife are hallmarks of weekend. The quickest approach to damage an evening, nonetheless, is by messing with individuals, being impolite or uncomfortably rowdy and, after all, getting a celebration shut down. We all can and ought to have enjoyable, however solely in ways in which make Kenyon events welcoming for all. That signifies that socializing should be executed in a respectful method. If that’s not your vibe, throw a closed occasion. 

Charlie Menzel ’28 is a non secular research main from Greencastle, IN. He will be reached at menzel1@kenyon.edu.