SPRING FLING WEEKEND: FRIDAY IN THE QUAD

I contemplate.
To resume working on my homework and my assignments and projects, which in the end will be reflected as a S or U in my final transcripts.
Or to spend my whole entire night blogging about everything I haven't blogged about, the New York trip, the Florida trip, the Chicago trip, the Washington DC trip. After all, what is an exchange experience but stories of a weary world-traveller who've been places and seen things.

Okay that was simple.
Whalau,ofcoursestudyla,cometoagoodschool,paysomuchforon-campusaccomodation,textbooksandlivingexpenses.
SomemorenotlikeI'mdeprivinganyoneofthebrilliantstoriesofmyexchange,
notlikeanyonereadsthisblog. Blogwhatblog.


okay, so anyways, Penn celebrated its annual Spring Fling this weekend, in the Quad!










*Quad: Large fenced plot of land, where a few college houses (equivalent of halls) stand together. The Quad encompasses 38 interlocking buildings surrounding 5 interior courtyards (vast open spaces of both concrete and grass).

Spring Fling has a carnival-like atmosphere about it, and the Quad's the place to be during the three days of Fling. Food booths and games booths are set up in the courtyards, and live bands jam and rock on temporary stages. Thi's not what Fling's all about though. Oh, it's not.

(whisper) Spring Fling's everybody's excuse to get drunk collectively in the academic year. Students smuggle in booze into the Quad 1-2 weeks before the weekend because the school tightens security checks into the Quad the days leading to Spring Fling. No, drinking's not disallowed on campus, and on a normal basis, students drink. It's just that during Fling, manymany students get drunk. Many.

Last years statistics is a testimony to the "festiveness" of this time of the year. There were:

1. 19 hospitalizations due to alcohol poisoning
2. 19 party disturbances
3. 16 something
4. and 1 arrest

These numbers may not seem that big, but the number of students hospitalized does not encompass the number of drunk students. Imagine 1 hospitalization due to alcohol poisoning back home.
Authorities will freak can.

So in anticipation of seeing drunk students mess around in broad daylight, I delightedly accepted Yan Min's (Malaysians at Penn's President) invitation to check out the Quad. There were like 5-6 buff, fierce security guards at the main entrance, who forcefully checked and double checked everyone's Penn ID (i.e. matric card) and bags, for fear of students bringing in MORE booze into the Quad. The admin already knew of the staggering amount of alcohol in students dorm rooms, but there was nothing wrong with increasing security. There were even more guards INSIDE the courtyards. Wherever you turned, there was sure to be a blue-uniform cladded personnel in your line of vision.

Games people play.

I didn't get to see what i want to: masses of bodies overdosed with booze, but experiencing this campus tradition was still somewhat memorable: Had my first Fried Oreos! Super sweet on the outside due to the healthy sprinkle of powdered suger, super oily and heaty due to the thick layer of golden-fried batter, and super-delicioucly-yummy due to the crumbly, soft Oreo cookie inside.

Kern, Lorraine, Yan Min and Ek Kia

But as nightfall drew closer,
signs of consumption of the smooth brown liquer emerged.
=D

Down, boys.