Too old for a babysitter

On my way back from the Inside Joke show Thursday night on a C-1 bus, I became an unfortunate witness to an example of Duke's excessive underage drinking. An underclassman, too drunk to keep his night's booze inside, vomited all over the seats of the bus. Not only was it disgusting, it really made me embarrassed to be a Duke student. The bus driver was forced to pull over from his route and attempt to pull the student together enough to clean up his own mess.

Instead of apologizing, the student and his friend stumbled out of the bus, leaving his puddle of puke behind for someone else to take care of. The bus driver was visibly upset, and explained to me how sick he was of that kind of behavior. He told me that this lack of responsibility when it comes to drinking is what he hates about Duke students, and about the University. It made me cringe to hear-is this the kind of respect we have for our community?

It's too bad that this happens all the time. I'd bet that every weekend someone throws up on the stairs on the way back to the dorm or doesn't make it to the bathroom in time, leaving it for housekeepers, bus drivers and hall-mates to deal with in the morning.

We're all too old to have babysitters-so if you drink to excess, clean up your own mess. You go to Duke, you are a part of this community, and there is no excuse for this kind of disrespect and irresponsibility.

Gabby Colaianni

Trinity '09