Reader TTS

As it is with many students, the 21-year-old drinking age, our one-year losing streak to Navy, people who cut in line at the Dining Hall and slow walkers can annoy me. But nothing so far

this year has managed to irk me more than the unbelievable number of people who have yet to learn how to socialize. You know - that guy at the football game who claims he could

single-handedly defend against our offense. The seniors who still enjoy dorm parties and frequent them despite their ability to procure their own alcohol. Anyone who, on more than one

occasion, has found humor in commenting on the appearance of Stepan Center. Please don't misunderstand me - everyone can have a lapse in judgment. But to do so on a regular basis leads

to social awkwardness. One could argue that this type of behavior is contagious, drawing our social interactions further and further from normalcy. This fact is only hampered by the Excise

Police's insistence on strict enforcement of the drinking age. There's the impression that no one under the age of 21 can set foot at TC for fear of being issued an MIC. The new

crackdown on off-campus partying is just one of many problems. Monotonous discussion is now commonplace. We as a student body have little insight into new topics of conversation. Recently,

however, a new debate arose: that of the lack of student activism on campus. I see where the argument comes from, but there are so many more pertinent issues to Notre Dame that have to be

sorted out before we can fully devote ourselves to other causes. People are out protesting for a living wage, yet no one can fully appreciate these efforts when their voices are drowned out

by the freshman claiming he can coach better than Charlie Weis or some guys rehashing the Kaleidoscope McDaniels all-girls-at-ND-are-gremlins theory. And the worst part of our continuing

demise into complete social ineptness: No one is doing anything about it. We have CLAP where we need CARP - campus awkwardness reduction project. Though I only have one year past experience

from which to draw, the downward spiral that we appear to be on is foreboding. We may not be an active campus, but when it comes to these pertinent issues, the lack of activism ultimately

hampers any potential social progress. Until students begin to notice and take action, there appears to be no end in sight. But maybe there is a simple solution - an interview requirement

for admission. Then we can at least make a preemptive strike. At any rate, it probably would have kept my excessively awkward engineering brother out.