RSS
Facebook
Twitter
E-PrinceThe first Friday of the spring semester is traditionally marked by bicker clubs picking up new members from their dorm rooms. This spring, Cottage Club did away with pickups altogether, while several other bicker clubs began to scale down the ...
(back to the article)
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual commenters and do not necessarily represent the views of The Daily Princetonian Publishing Company, Inc. We do not take responsibility for the opinions, facts, or claims presented by individual commenters, and reserve the right to moderate or delete inappropriate comments.
wow, really poor article here. i'm not going to deny that pickups are fun--there's something to be said about going around in large rowdy groups--but this article really doesn't make a compelling argument.
first of all--pretty much all post-bicker/welcome events to clubs (parties, semiformals, etc.) are enjoyable. the fact that pickups are enjoyable doesn't distinguish them from other those other events. why not just invite new members back to the clubs for a welcome party/post-pickups party like most clubs do?
i admit that the safety concern against pickups is suspicious; most of the drinking seems to occur either before pickups (which would happen anyway), or once people go back to the clubs (which would happen anyway).
but the other two concerns, it seems, are too quickly brushed aside. just because the university sponsors reunions and deals with the messes there does NOT mean they are obligated to--or should--deal with the messes from pickups. reunions is an event put on by the university, and the employees are paid as such. pickups for eating clubs are not--there isn't a connection between the two. and just because we're students here doesn't mean the university has to pick up after everything we do, especially if it's for so unnecessary a practice.
the third criticism, i think, is the most convincing one. certainly people who are hosed should have been willing to accept that possibility. that doesn't mean, however, that clubs should go around parading this fact in front of their faces.
ultimately, i just don't think pickups are worth the hassle. it's not that these sorts of new member events are bad--the prince editorial staff is correct in pointing out that there are few opportunities for sophomore members to act as members of the club--but that pickups are an unnecessary practice. the enjoyability from pickups is largely in the POST-pickups part, when everyone is together as one club (instead of spread all around campus picking people up), instead of the actual pickups part. there are many other alternatives that are less messy--both physically and emotionally. it's a stupid practice that is rightly shunned at other schools
Loving the new editorial board already - thanks for writing this. Getting picked up was probably the most fun thing I've done at Princeton. In terms of having a ritual to welcome you to the club, nothing can replace the significance of the club members coming to you and taking you off campus to your club. The group that picked me up didn't make a mess - I don't really see removing that aspect as harming the tradition, though I agree that it shouldn't be a big deal to clean up given the mess created by other social events on campus.
I had several good friends who were hosed, and it was was hard enough for me, let alone them, to see them having to deal with pickups. However, all of us knew that getting hosed was a very possible outcome of bickering. Those who were hosed were notified well in advance so that if hearing pickups go on would be too difficult to deal with, they could go somewhere else. Pickups is one of the best times at Princeton, and I'm glad it has the Prince's support.
and, @ club member, i highly disagree with your assertion that the best part of pickups is the post-pickups part. i will never forget hearing the knock on my door and being knocked to the ground by a horde of screaming members. i'd take that over a hundred parties at any club.
The third criticism, while it may seem the most compelling to you, is also the least likely reason a bicker club would drop pickups.
@the ed board: This is the first editorial I can ever recall agreeing with you guys on. Heartwarming.
No one bickers without knowing the possible consequences. A hosee KNOWS what's coming, it's not sprung upon them.
people have to realize that cottage's decision was not about feelings. they almost had people get legit hurt last year (drunk + ice + hyperness). You may say that's not their fault, but thats often now how our legal friends and would be litigators see things. The grad board got spooked. After a few law suits and bogus summonses against clubs, grad boards start to see everything as a potential law suit. Can you blame them?
Cottage's grad board is ALWAYS spooked. No fun at all.
I'm calling bullshit on you, Editorial Board.
Of course the editorial board would say this. The large majority of this pretending to be but not actually diverse group is in Tower. Home of the wannabe frat which tries to be hard-core about everything but in the end is just lame.
What about pick-ups done by all other groups on campus? I hear the Princeton Golf Team has a particularily rowdy cruise of sorts.
Don't focus on just eating clubs.