This past Saturday, Stags were seen shedding their antlers for shamrock-infused headbands and pots of gold. The hills (almost like the rolling ones found in Ireland) behind townhouse block five were chock full of various pieces of viridescent attire, from rugby shirts to shamrock costumes; it was as if a box of magically delicious Lucky Charms had spilled – oh wait, many had.
Although Sham Jam is not a school-sanctioned event, each year around St. Paddy’s Day the student body deems one glorious Saturday as the day to party like the Irish, from dressing up and playing the bagpipes to engaging in the consumption of alcohol, many students find their day to be lived through green tinted (often shamrock shaped) glasses.
College students will often find just about any excuse to party, whether it is a day that is sunny and above 50 degrees, a holiday or a sporting event, students are always ready to let loose. Rather than attempting to completely eradicate this behavior, I believe that it is more important to encourage having a fun time while staying safe and respectful.
Just like any celebration, parties held on campus are bound to create litter, vandalism and fights.
“At one point during the day, some kid got hit in the face,” junior Christian Sehlmeyer says, “and walked away with a bloody mouth.”
To combat these issues, the University took charge and had security manning the area to prevent party attendees from engaging in physical altercations, drinking underage and public urination. Something that is a little more complicated to handle when the designated party area expands from one townhouse block to miles worth of beach. Encouraging students to stay on campus for these types of events also prevents those who engage in social drinking to get behind the wheel as they can simply walk back to their residence halls, preventing the horrific reality that is death due to driving under the influence.
Hosting events like Sham Jam on campus also provides party-goers with quick and easy access to food, causing the rate at which the alcohol is absorbed to be more manageable for the human body. This helps to prevent not only vomiting and bad hangovers the next morning but can save the lives of those who find themselves blacked out and in danger of alcohol poisoning.
On-campus dining options such as the Tully or The Stag Diner allowed students to grab a bite without having to leave the property. This year food trucks could also be found in the Dolan House parking lot, where lines wrapped around the concrete patch as students eagerly awaited their Super Duper Weenie dog or their Colony pizza slice.
“I really liked the food trucks” sophomore Anna Minino states, “They were not only a good place to grab some food but a great way to help some people who do find themselves needing to take a break and sober up at Sham Jam.”
Fairfield can also enforce the University code of conduct. This means that students caught breaking laws can be punished not only legally but also through the school, adding an extra layer to reasons why they may not want to take the partying too far. The University can also enforce quiet hours, shutting down the party at a certain time of night.
Not only do each of these factors most importantly help students make better decisions, but it helps the University to create a better image in their relationship to the town of Fairfield. Unlike certain events held off-campus, such as SantaCon or Hallo-weekend, the likelihood of the town of Fairfield being vandalized is greatly reduced and the rate at which the town’s emergency services must be used is lowered, saving tax-payers money and the time of First Responders.
Even though this year’s Sham Jam events are now just diminished to the occasional discarded green beaded necklace found on the ground and the photos posted onto Instagram feeds, I believe that it is important to understand the positives of events such as these taking place on University grounds as opposed to properties of the town of Fairfield.
It is almost inevitable that College students are going to party, so why not encourage them to do so in the safest and least destructive way possible? Enforcing a positive party culture where students can have fun and stay safe and respectful at the same time is far more important than attempting to shut down every event in hopes of saving the school’s reputation.
