<p>So im walking up east ave. today at around 2 pm, a time I assume many students were recently dismissed from their last official classes of the semester. I hear cheering and whooping. I even saw some ******bag doing suggestive pelvic thrusts to every car that drove by as some sort of public mischief- whether he decided to throw back the good ol' ethanol that early in the day is, by my estimation, pretty likely. </p>
<p>Perhaps these are just a few overzealous kids finding something to be happy about in this cold and dark time of year? Probably- and that's all in good fun- I keep walking. Err, oh wait.... a bundled up cyclist, following all the proper traffic regulations, backpack strapped and book in one hand, probably on his way to some form of academic endeavor, is lunged at by some inconsiderate ******* screaming "YEA!!! **** YEA!!! IT'S OVER!" He nearly falls into the street where potential other cyclists, cars, and construction trucks (this was right in front of that mess that is between baker and rockefeller) could have hurt or killed him. He's ok, let's just keep walking- it's cold outside.</p>
<p>I cross the over the bridge- eager to get back to my apartment to take a nap before a long night of studying. Almost home... and what do I see? A handful of kids in front of their fraternity (won't name which) harassing each and every passerby. They utter some profanities to me that must have to them, in their obvious inebriation, appeared to have been in jest. "**** cornell man! **** it in the ass! we're *<strong><em>ing finished with this *</em></strong>!" </p>
<p>What the hell are people celebrating today? The end of a few months of something we're (in theory) required to attend? Am I wrong or is it the beginning of something even worse- two weeks of hair pulling, nail biting, sleep deprivation, distress, caffeine abuse, review sessions, office hours, and oh yes, inevitably: exams. I don't know what these people think is possibly worth acting like complete idiots and getting wasted at noon for, at least not today.</p>
<p>Ok, so im done venting. My point is this: to all you future cornellians out there- do not be intimidated by cornell at all. there are plenty of buffoons here. Good luck on finals all.</p>
<p>Wow, that's so weird.. and pathetic. I'm glad I've already decided not to apply to Cornell--my heart would be broken if I was as interested in Cornell as I am in Brown!</p>
<p>I am still intimidated! those buffoons probably had high SAT scores, save dolphins, and conduct cancer research in their spare time...arghhh</p>
<p>also, why didn't you help poor bike boy up? if I was that kid, I would've at least hurled a snowball at those dumb frat kids (I'm assuming since it's Cornell, there's snow on the ground somewhere).</p>
<p>haha, is that sarcastic rachael? if so, it's probably deserved. i have to be the biggest loser ever to make a forum into a blog.. and for this i apologize.</p>
<p>December Slope Day has always been known for more hijinks than usual. That said, the kid who assaulted the biker should have been arrested for assault, and I never felt that fraternities were the most constructive entities on campus.</p>
<p>I similarly had to ask myself where these kids came from when I was on campus, but you learn to ignore them after a while. Fortunately, they constitute a limited minority on campus, albeit a visible one. Of the hundreds of Cornellians I befriended during my time on East Hill and since graduating, none of them ever had these types of behavioral problems, so it is largely gone from my memory.</p>
<p>That said, I always found finals to be around the least stressful periods of the semester. Relax and enjoy the hockey games this weekend! You made it this far!</p>
<p>I have never noticed anything weird about the last day of fall semester until this year. For some reason, people seem to be dumber and more annoying than in the past three years that I've been here...</p>
<p>we do not actually have snow on the ground right now. I stepped outside and automatically got ready to balance on slush, but in fact it is very barren. we need some precip to beautify things imo.</p>
<p>I was not out walking extensively yesterday afternoon...went through Ho Plaza a few hours after your story and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. sounds dumb. </p>
<p>don't anyone rethink their decision to apply based on that tale though! you don't have to be or befriend those people!</p>
<p>edit: since it's tangentially related, has anyone been following the sorority feud thing in the daily sun? the weirdest thing I've read so far was the person suggesting every girl should rush even if she does not intend to join a sorority. wouldn't that be gigantic waste of lots of people's time??</p>
<p>No snow? That's funny. It snowed for the first time in NYC/LI today! We got a good half-inch...hope there's more to come! I love snow! </p>
<p>Ho Plaza is a great name. I'm immature enough to be mildly amused by it. </p>
<p>The story didn't turn me off to Cornell; in fact, I'm kinda glad not everyone there is a nerdy bookworm and there's dumb frat boys. I mean, I feel like I wouldn't get the full college experience without a dumb frat boy or two :)</p>
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I similarly had to ask myself where these kids came from when I was on campus
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<p>This was the one great mystery of Cornell for me. How the hell did these people get in? Out of the all the people, from my high school and neighboring high schools, capable of being accepted to an Ivy League school most were bookish and very academically oriented. Some were also very outgoing and "cool", but not one person fit the description described in this post (or even came close).</p>
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There is nothing to be happy about since there are all those finals waiting for us.
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<p>Completely agree. I never understood the celebration of the end of classes, including Slope Day. The work isn't over at all. Why celebrate something that isn't even a finished accomplishment?</p>
<p>"edit: since it's tangentially related, has anyone been following the sorority feud thing in the daily sun? the weirdest thing I've read so far was the person suggesting every girl should rush even if she does not intend to join a sorority. wouldn't that be gigantic waste of lots of people's time??"</p>
<p>not necessarily. rush is just a very rewarding experience...tiring, but it allows you to meet people you wouldnt have run into by yourself. i met so many friends on my trek to various houses. plus, you never know...ive known girls who went through rush just because they had a "whatever, why not" attitude and ended up joining houses and loving it</p>
<p>
[quote]
This was the one great mystery of Cornell for me. How the hell did these people get in? Out of the all the people, from my high school and neighboring high schools, capable of being accepted to an Ivy League school most were bookish and very academically oriented. Some were also very outgoing and "cool", but not one person fit the description described in this post (or even came close).
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<p>I don't think its a mystery that just pertains to Cornell. I've seen similar antics at Dartmouth, Penn, Northwestern, Princeton, and MIT. And, if anything, Cornell is big enough that you can really distance yourself from such people. Not so at some of the other schools.</p>
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The work isn't over at all. Why celebrate something that isn't even a finished accomplishment?
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<p>Because you have finished fifteen weeks worth of classes and work, and there's now a light at the end of the tunnel? Because friends will be leaving a scattered rate over the next two weeks and it makes sense to have a last goodbye?</p>
<p>Some of my best moments of fun at Cornell were during the study break. There's a lot of down time, and if you did all of your work during the semester, there's not all that much to get excited about.</p>
<p>yes, I can see that perspective, and it does seem to be a problem that there is a notably low number of girls rushing this year. it's probably good for a lot of people.
I just know I would never rush myself, I just don't have the interest.</p>
<p>@faustarp:
[ quote] words go here! [/ quote]
of course, remove the spaces in the brackets :).
and more, if you want to specifically quote someone:
[ quote=Jesus] words!! [/ quote]</p>