In Praise of No Week

Observers of the University of Chicago may have noticed the existence of a new organization on campus. No, it's not a new RSO. No, it has no official connection to the University. Instead, I would like to call it "The College De-Programming Office," which this week is running an event called No Week .

Why then is it worthy of praise? Its purpose seems to be to allow First Years to engage in underage inebriation during the all-important activities of O-Week, when they take placement tests and register for classes. Surely, it is despicable to promote the mixture of those hallowed activities with alcohol?

I argue that it is not for one important reason: it introduces First Years to responsible mores of the University of Chicago apartment party before they have a chance to be involved in the more irresponsible or at least more tasteless mores of the fraternity party. Furthermore, during O-Week, it's really hard to pre-game, so they can learn that a party is not about your alcohol consumption, it's about the great fun you remember in the morning, because you haven't drunk yourself into a stupor.


ESA(20040921.1)