Spring break's bad rep

Spring break has a bad reputation. Since high school we have associated this week off from classes with drunken debauchery and downright stupidity on some of the world’s loveliest beaches.

We have an image in our minds of people running around in their bathing suits, bumping into things and getting wasted off body shots all day and all night.

For many of you, I just described your next five days. For others, I painted a beautiful picture.

For our parents, I just confirmed their theories that spring break epitomizes the term “shit show.”

Spring break is considered the one week during which anything goes. For one whole week, you can be anyone you want to be. You could develop a new identity or conceive a child; you could probably even kill a man. It’s not like anyone will remember anyway. (I do not encourage murder, so please don’t get the wrong idea — killing is bad. Don’t kill anyone).

But perhaps the fact that no one will remember isn’t such a good thing.

Our culture gets a kick out of witnessing wild, embarrassing behavior. The Web site frequented by college students, textsfromlastnight.com, is basically a shrine to all of the ridiculous, drunken antics of our generation. The site acts as a forum allowing people to post funny text messages they read upon waking up after a night of blacking out.

Typically the text messages posted pertain to partying, drinking, sex and embarrassment. The posters hope you’ll find their texts humorous. They have no shame in being categorized as “shitshows.”

According to the site, the intention of the creators was to develop a space where people can share their texts with the site’s visitors in an effort to make them laugh. These posters probably enjoy posting their texts even more than everyone else enjoys reading them.

People love to share their experiences and analyze reactions. On any given Saturday morning, Bloomington’s breakfast spots are filled with people who have gathered to discuss the events of the night before.

Typical conversations might begin with the phrase, “I blacked out so hard last night.” Or, “I don’t even remember how I got home.”

Although the memory of how we made it into our beds safe and sound after a night out at the bars isn’t necessarily one we will cherish forever, it might be a great story our friends would love to hear. Maybe we were tired of walking and hitched a ride with President Obama while he was passing through Bloomington. That’s a story I know my friends would want to hear.

So have a great time on spring break, go crazy and drink until you melt into a puddle of tequila. Just make sure you’re still managing to make memories that will last — at least until next week when you come back and share them with your friends. If you’re determined to black out, well, make sure you bring your phone to the beach. Textsfromlastnight.com will take care of the rest.


E-mail: jsazlow@indiana.edu