Counterpoint: Drunken Uncouthness: Mirror Lake Jumping A Celebration of Dimwittedness
Kevin O'Rourke
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Culture
Well another season of the barbaric game of college football slowly draws to a close. After eleven Saturdays of tomfoolery, I can't say that I'm disappointed to see football season leave us. Yet, an Ohio State season in Columbus cannot be complete without the notorious, "Mirror Lake Jump." If you don't know, the "Mirror Lake Jump" occurs on the Thursday before the Michigan game between 10:00PM and midnight. Every year, thousands of students sit around in their apartments, and houses, and dorm rooms and drink all day waiting to jump in Mirror Lake.
Since 1990, many believe that jumping in the lake will provide the Buckeyes with good luck for the Michigan game. It is one of the "great Ohio State traditions." Oh, yeah, except our record versus Michigan since the Mirror Lake Jump started is 7-8-1. This year could be the last time the record is under .500 versus Michigan in the Mirror Lake Jump years.
So instead of spending the day in class getting an education, thousands of students turn on their Xboxes and drink their brains dead, hoping to numb themselves enough so that they won't feel the cold. Though drinking all afternoon will numb your senses enough to keep you from freezing, it also leads to more people skipping class on Friday. Essentially two days and two study periods (Thursday afternoon and evening) are wasted because the student body of this school wants to encourage a victory in the big rival game by swimming in a freezing cold pond.
Don't they realize by doing this they could hurt our school's respectability across the country? Ohio State was ranked 57th last year by US News and World Report, up three spots from last year. At that rate, we could climb into the top 10 by 2022! But no, we'd rather take time off to celebrate football. Why students would rather get drunk and party, cheer, "Fuck Michigan," and have the most awesome time of their life, I have no idea. If we continue to allow this disreputable behavior we will slowly slide back down the U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges" and quickly move our way up the College Humor "Power Rankings".
Since 1990, many believe that jumping in the lake will provide the Buckeyes with good luck for the Michigan game. It is one of the "great Ohio State traditions." Oh, yeah, except our record versus Michigan since the Mirror Lake Jump started is 7-8-1. This year could be the last time the record is under .500 versus Michigan in the Mirror Lake Jump years.
So instead of spending the day in class getting an education, thousands of students turn on their Xboxes and drink their brains dead, hoping to numb themselves enough so that they won't feel the cold. Though drinking all afternoon will numb your senses enough to keep you from freezing, it also leads to more people skipping class on Friday. Essentially two days and two study periods (Thursday afternoon and evening) are wasted because the student body of this school wants to encourage a victory in the big rival game by swimming in a freezing cold pond.
Don't they realize by doing this they could hurt our school's respectability across the country? Ohio State was ranked 57th last year by US News and World Report, up three spots from last year. At that rate, we could climb into the top 10 by 2022! But no, we'd rather take time off to celebrate football. Why students would rather get drunk and party, cheer, "Fuck Michigan," and have the most awesome time of their life, I have no idea. If we continue to allow this disreputable behavior we will slowly slide back down the U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges" and quickly move our way up the College Humor "Power Rankings".
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 6
Joe M
Joe
posted 11/15/07 @ 3:42 AM NA
Mr. O'Rourke,
While I understand that you are concerned for our reputation among academia, you take this too far in your evaluation of this tradition. (Continued…)
Kevin O'Rourke
posted 11/15/07 @ 6:12 AM NA
Joe,
I agree whole heartily with you. Come tomorrow night, I will be jumping in for my fourth time.
This article ran as a Point/Counterpoint in our print edition. (Continued…)
Arlen
posted 11/16/07 @ 5:18 PM NA
Basically, you just let the terrorists win.
Joe
posted 11/16/07 @ 7:31 PM NA
D'oh.
LOL
posted 11/20/08 @ 9:48 PM NA
you are such a tool
HAHAHA
posted 11/20/08 @ 11:10 PM NA
FUCK MICHIGAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i seriously hope you arent a student at OSU bc i will make sure you are KICKED OUT.
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