Sexual relationships on DePauw's campus often occupy a constant grey area filled with booze, dirty dancing and hook-ups.
When speakers like Don McPherson make appearances to discuss respectful relationships, students rally for the cause by attending the lecture.
Since the beginning of orientation during Party House, DePauw students have heard the same lectures. "Blackout sex is rape." "‘No' means ‘no,' silence means ‘no' and inebriation cancels out any ‘yes.'"
But it rarely sinks in for longer than a few moments.
In the same way learning is most effective when taken out of the classroom even after a test, a student isn't an advocate for respectful relationships if the issue is trivialized or forgotten after filing out of the auditorium.
Like the drinking culture on campus, these unsafe and emotionally damaging relationships come from a solitary college-context. Try to think out of that context when considering these issues.
Dancing seems to come with a sense of obligation — most girls find it awkward to even politely decline. Invitations to fraternity formals carry some implied invitation to hook up, no matter the previous relationship.
These interactions fueled by cheap vodka and confused commitments to social norms are a culture at DePauw. Although it is inaccurrate to implicate the entire student population, it is irresponsible to trivialize the trend.
Fraternities and the men in them usually bear the blame for this type of relationship — even though they are only half of the equation.
Sober, too, women and men should be private as well as public advocates.
We can't imagine how women casually greeting a friend with "hey slut" can be socially productive. Neither can encouraging potentially suggestive dress, dangerous sexual behaviors for physical grratification — even in jest.
Look at the stereotypes from national news media and films like Animal house. A hook up, attachment and consequence-free culture is practically glorified — it is sometimes here, too. Regardless of culture, pressures and stereotypes, it's up to students to make responsible personal decisions.
"Sorry for partying" is not an excuse that holds any substance outside of jokes, even in the consequence free atmosphere of DePauw. Neither is "I was drunk" — the choice to get there is always conscious.