Poor attitudes are giving students a bad name

This past weekend I was in Waterloo Square watching the Santa Claus Parade, and was waiting anxiously to see if Laurier was going to show up UW’s engineering department (who had some kind of car/submarine contraption). But when the hundred or so people clad in purple and gold came down the street, I was pretty disappointed.

Hardly anyone was waiving to the excited kids lining the street, the majority of people had Starbucks/Tim Horton’s cups in hand, and were just talking to each other as if they could have cared less that they were there.

When something like this happens I can understand why people in the community think students are all immature and selfish.

When we have the opportunity to interact with the community and show off our school, students should act with respect and maturity. But more often than not students continue to give Laurier a bad name by acting childish.

Take UW’s engineering department for example; they used the parade as an opportunity to showcase their work to the community. Not only that, they had the decency to wave to the little kids who were so excited to be there.

Come on Laurier, you could have at least waved.

And this is not just an isolated incident. Every weekend the streets are packed with students going out and walking home from the bar. And that’s totally fine, I’m usually one of those people too. But when people are running around the streets, regardless of the fact that there are cars everywhere, it’s a little embarrassing.

When you act like that, are you sure you’re even old enough to drink? When people in the community see behaviour like this, they can only assume that every student acts that immature.

I’m not saying everyone acts like this, but there are definitely people with very selfish attitudes that give all of us students the reputation of being self-centered. And certainly this happens at other schools too.

But I just find it embarrassing that schools like UW are known for their technological innovations and kick-ass astronaut professors, and Laurier is known for a giant St. Patrick’s Day party.

Even walking through our “student ghetto” is discouraging. Right now, there are literally dozens of smashed pumpkins all over, and I generally have to dodge piles of puke when walking to school on Mondays.

There’s garbage covering lawns, and I kid you not, I have walked passed a disturbing amount of used condoms on the sidewalk.

Sure, everyone knows that it’s a student neighbourhood, but the state of it makes us look disrespectful and gross.

My problem overall is our perception in the community. There are so many great initiatives from Laurier that help the community, such as the Food Bank, LSPIRG, Shinerama, the HSSA Care team, and so many more, but they get overshadowed by damaging behaviour from students.

Everyone likes to say that it’s “great to be a Laurier Golden Hawk,” but is it really? If being a Golden Hawk means acting like there are no consequences for your actions and that the world revolves around you, then count me out.

We are part of a greater community, and its time to start showing Laurier in a more positive light. And it really doesn’t take that much effort. Maybe don’t leave condoms lying around on the sidewalk, or try to not to run into the middle of the street when you’re drunk.

Let’s try to make a better legacy for ourselves, and showcase all the positive things that the school has to offer. We’re all going to be in the “real world” soon, and I’ve got news for you: behaviour like this doesn’t fly there.