I have spent more time with needles in my arm than I had anticipated in the basement of Frist Campus Center. Two times were for the infamous meningitis shots, known for the ensuing arm pain. Apparently, that is the limit for most Princetonians when it comes to needles and Frist. More recently, however, I went to donate blood in that same multipurpose room.
To my surprise, while there were a decent number of people there, shockingly few were University students. After some quick counting and some assumptions based on apparent ages, I realized that most of the people donating were either University employees or local residents.
The absence of other students is ridiculous. The student body is made up of thousands of young, generally healthy people who are prime candidates for blood donation. Obviously, there are legitimate reasons that people cannot donate. Athletes may not want to endanger their training during their season. People are disqualified from donating based on where they have travelled, with whom they live and many other reasons.
Even considering those exceptions, I would hazard that there are still several thousand Princetonians who are eligible and could easily make a difference.
After having several conversations about this with friends and fellow classmates, I realized that most students fall into one of three groups. You may find yourself in one of these groups.
There are some that want to give but are terrified of the process, whether it is having a needle in your arm, the concept of removing blood or the physical pain. I cannot say much that will change these people’s minds. Granted, the needle is smaller than people likely expect and feels more like a pinch than a shot, but if someone does not feel comfortable, that is their choice.
More often, however, I find those who claim they want to give, but cite feeling too busy or not having the time to get around to it. I understand the impulse. Yes, we are all busy and I do not think you should be trying to donate during finals week.
However, it is a quick, 30-minute procedure that comes with free food afterwards (the hallmark of any good University experience). The Red Cross even sends you a letter saying where your blood was used. It seems to me that the benefits of potentially saving a life far outweigh the slight inconvenience.
Yet despite the ease, a lot of people just do not get around to donating. This is where Princeton’s famous peer pressure could be useful. At Princeton, I have often felt the pressure to eat healthier and to study more, a phenomenon described by some columnists in earlier pieces. Maybe this positive pressure could also be used to encourage friends to donate.
There are also those I have met who are clueless about the whole process: “Wait, Princeton has blood drives?” For those who fall into this category: yes, they are held in either Frist or the Fields Center, and the next one is Feb. 15. More information can be found on the Red Cross' website. “Wait, why don’t doctors just use artificial blood?” Unfortunately, there is no such thing. While scientists are working on it, for now, the only way for hospitals to have blood is if people donate.
Clearly, no one should be forced to donate. Clearly, a person’s bodily autonomy should not be violated, no matter how noble the cause. However, with so many students in such a great position to help, it’s a shame that so many choose to not to do such a simple thing with such potential to save lives.
Beni Snow is a freshman from Newton, Mass. He can be reached at bsnow@princeton.edu.Read More
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