<p>Out of curiosity, how many people first heard of the notorious Where fun comes to die and laughed? I thought that the most of the people who didnt see the self-deprecating joke were confined to this forum, but Ive seen a lot of people explaining to prospies on campus that Clearly, this is not where fun comes to die. There appears to be a movement to either have to disprove or delete the slogan - considering the fact that the College Admissions office wants the question avoided or explained with how much stuff you do for fun. I can understand that some students are concerned and dont see the joke right away, but I dont see why explaining it (and in turn a bit about the culture) is not really used as an option...Then again, maybe a lot of people do that and I just havent seen it.. Thoughts?</p>
<p>I find it funny when people freak out over that slogan. CHICAGO PUTS IT ON THEIR OWN WEBSITE! Obviously it is just sarcastic self depreciation. It’s a college!</p>
<p>Also, shouldn’t a Chicago caliber applicant get the joke? I thought that Chicago used that slogan to create more self selection among applicants.</p>
<p>Although it is a joke, it still creates a stigma, a barrier, that separates students from the University. I know it isn’t true, but it is still in the back of my mind when I think about Chicago, which creates a negative connotation in my head. I do think it’s funny, but I understand why some Prospies may see it as a negative or see it as having “some truth to it.”</p>
<p>It’s college! There is definitely a party scene.</p>
<p>@Anonymous1993: That’s interesting. Would you mind posting a link? </p>
<p>@Polyosophy: There is definitely a grain of truth to the saying, otherwise it wouldn’t have come into existence. So you think it still poses a barrier even if it is explained to students who don’t get it right away? I think that getting rid of it would lose out on the chance to completely hook students who do get it. I, for one, became really interested in Chicago after hearing of these slogans and I know others who did as well.</p>
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<p>I am not sure what you are referring to.</p>
<p>^perhaps the “CHICAGO PUTS IT ON THEIR OWN WEBSITE!” remark???</p>
<p>Anyway, I didn’t really get it at first. Now I do, but a lot of people don’t, and it’s sort of a negative stigma to overcome or explain away. I mean, if you tell someone you’re considering the school and they go–Oh, isn’t that where fun goes to die?–you have to be like, “No, that’s just a joke because a lot of people said that about UChicago and it got that sort of rep so the students made fun of that but it’s not really true. Of course people have fun there.” And then the person is thinking–wait, a lot of people thought that? UChicago has this rep? So it’s sort of self-perpetuating in a way I guess?</p>
<p>I think it was mentioned in an old post on the Uncommon Blog. I think it may look bad for the school if they try too hard to get out of that joke.</p>
<p>@quomodo: I was under the impression that it was a student-created joke, so that’s how I was explaining it to prospies, although if you have to add the stuff in about how ‘people actually said that about Chicago’ it definitely loses a lot of its appeal… </p>
<p>Did anyone here get it right away? What were your reactions?</p>
<p>Frankly, I’m surprised that the joke needs explaining. It’s so clearly tongue-in-cheek.</p>
<p>@zakuropanda: No, I think it was a student-created joke. But some people don’t get that, and Chicago does have this reputation that students are sort of nerdy and not very fun. I think the students created the joke because of that rep.</p>
<p>Of course, I’m not expert. :D</p>