I took a long walk on Auburn University’s campus today. A lot of things have changed since I was an undergraduate at Western Kentucky University.
Auburn has a nice campus but certain things made it seem like the same ole corporate school as is found everywhere. There are the same no smoking and no firearm international signs around the entrances to each building. There are the same lighted bluish emergency help button posts that are found on other campuses.
The most shocking sight is the sameness of the students. Classroom fashion is dead. Coeds plod along in running shorts and over-sized T-shirts with Wand running shoes as if it were the issued uniform. The fellows wear longer shorts but are otherwise dressed the same. When I was in school one saw everything from Granny dresses to mini-skirts and all manner of variety. Now there is an iron-curtain-like drabness and uniformity to students.
Haven’t been back to my alma mater for a while, but I do have fond memories of my days at college, when a walk across campus was like being on the set of The Breakfast Club: jocks, stoners, nerds, sorority princesses, artsy types etc. Those were grand days.
I’m less worried about their choice of couture and more about their same frighteningly fascistic and violent groupthink.