Pick Up That Red Cup!

By Caroline Mimbs Nyce | May 5, 2010 at 8:00 am | Opinion | 52 comments | |

 

There’s nothing quite like a Sunday morning at CMC.  The sun rises. Your head pounds. Oh, and North Quad looks like a hurricane swept through it overnight.  The entire campus is typically littered with those infamous red cups, the only remnants of what was sure to have been an awesome rager.  CMC’s campus on a Sunday morning can only be described in three words – one hot mess.

Hurricane Stagthena

A freshman at Scripps in one of my classes recently told a harrowing story regarding CMCers’ poor attitude towards cleaning up. After attending an event on CMC’s campus, she tried to be courteous, straightening up the disaster left behind. To this, a CMC student responded arrogantly, “This is CMC; we don’t clean up.”

The general attitude on campus seems to be of ill responsibility when it comes to cleaning up.  I’ve heard students brag about their ability to simply drop their trash wherever they are standing. Though we have a phenomenal grounds crew, this does not give CMCers the license to completely disrespect our campus.  We parade around campus, smugly behaving like children fed by a silver spoon.   Instead of taking the initiative to keep our campus clean, we simply place the burden of our hard-partying lifestyles on the backs of the hard-working dorm maids.  In the midst of the Thursday Night Club fiasco, Dean of Students took note of our nonchalant attitude towards cleaning up. On March 24, students received an email from ASCMC stating that DOS would like to see students “taking the initiative to clean up after events.”  I believe the general consensus is that we should do everything we can to prevent TNC from being canceled.  So if DOS wants us to clean, I say we clean.

There may be some preconceived notion that because students are under the influence of alcohol, they do not have to take responsibility for their actions.  Next time you are in that situation, I must ask, are you so incapacitated that you cannot place your trash in a proper receptacle?  And if you are, why on earth are you out walking around on campus?

Have we already so long forgotten those values which were once taught to us by a giant singing purple dinosaur?  I think Barney really hit the nail on the head when he uttered those immortal words – “Clean up, Clean up. Everybody do your share.” (Even this girl knows what’s up.)

Supposedly, we are a bunch of kids that are really good at economics and accounting.  Dorm damages have already amounted to over $20,000 this year. Call me crazy, but this may not be the best allocation of our financial resources. Cleaning up better won’t make all of those penalties go away, but it will help cut down on those mysterious dorm damages for lounge cleanup that get passed along to the entire residence hall.

So, CMCers, take the two seconds to throw away your cup to preserve TNC – even in its now limited capacity. At the least, cleaning up is worth several more nights  of raging.

More posts by Caroline Mimbs Nyce »
Caroline Mimbs Nyce

Caroline Mimbs Nyce is a junior majoring in Philosophy, Politics, & Economics (PPE) and Government. She returns to campus this spring after spending her fall studying abroad in Santiago, Chile.

 
 
 
 
  • Andrew Bluebond

    Caroline,

    I like this piece, and I think you have made some great progress. There are a few things I would like to see before we publish it, though.

    - You mention a Scripps girl in your piece. Generally, I am not keen on anonymous sources. Try to get to her to allow you to use her name. If you can’t, at least give us her class year.
    - I am not sure I get the “Mr. Smirnoff” reference. Maybe you can clarify it? If not, you might want to take it out.
    - The cost-benefit analysis line is a little cliche, but I like the message. You could just end it an imperative “take the two seconds to throw away your drink…”

  • http://nkempdesign.com Neal Kemp

    That’s why I always make a point of dropping my red cups on Pomona’s campus (or Scripps/Pitzer… because who goes to parties at Pomona?). Problem solved!

    • CMC guy

      I hope some of us CMCers choke on those silver spoons. No one gave us any right to act so arrogantly.

      Yet another example of the “maturity” of CMC students. And I came here expecting to find something different.

      • http://cmcforum.com Sleeve Monster

        And where did you get the right to that High Horse? Get over yourself.

        In the words of many a Thursday night Scripssie, “Don’tchoujudgeme”

        • horse

          Somehow, I think deriding students for not picking up their garbage and instead throwing it on the ground so maintenance can pick it up or it can be blown away into the cesspool we call the inland empire, isn’t equivalent to riding on a high horse.

        • CMC guy

          Wear it, “Sleeve Monster”. Horse is right. I’m perfectly over myself. I’m trying to encourage many of you out there to do the same. Deriding students on a immature attitude to cleaning up after themselves is not on any high horse I’m aware of. Big words, little man.

  • http://nkempdesign.com Neal Kemp

    That’s why I always make a point of dropping my red cups on Pomona’s campus (or Scripps/Pitzer… because who goes to parties at Pomona?). Problem solved!

    • CMC guy

      I hope some of us CMCers choke on those silver spoons. No one gave us any right to act so arrogantly.

      Yet another example of the “maturity” of CMC students. And I came here expecting to find something different.

      • http://cmcforum.com Sleeve Monster

        And where did you get the right to that High Horse? Get over yourself.

        In the words of many a Thursday night Scripssie, “Don’tchoujudgeme”

        • horse

          Somehow, I think deriding students for not picking up their garbage and instead throwing it on the ground so maintenance can pick it up or it can be blown away into the cesspool we call the inland empire, isn’t equivalent to riding on a high horse.

        • CMC guy

          Wear it, “Sleeve Monster”. Horse is right. I’m perfectly over myself. I’m trying to encourage many of you out there to do the same. Deriding students on a immature attitude to cleaning up after themselves is not on any high horse I’m aware of. Big words, little man.

  • Some dude

    Do you keep your room clean? Cast not the first stone!

    • sophomoric

      that’s… a bit different. I mean, I keep my room fairly clean, but there’s a difference between that and public space, am I correct?

      • some dude

        Do you keep your clean? It is all about attitude baby!

  • Some dude

    Do you keep your room clean? Cast not the first stone!

    • sophomoric

      that’s… a bit different. I mean, I keep my room fairly clean, but there’s a difference between that and public space, am I correct?

      • some dude

        Do you keep your clean? It is all about attitude baby!

  • Drew Farrell

    you tell ‘em sister

  • Drew Farrell

    you tell ‘em sister

  • No Thanks

    This really just suggests that the parties are not properly priced. Instead of billing ASCMC for the dorm damages, why not bill the North Quadders who presumably reap the biggest benefit (read: loose women and being the center of attention) from the parties?

    I haven’t been to a party in over two years. Why should I clean up?

  • No Thanks

    This really just suggests that the parties are not properly priced. Instead of billing ASCMC for the dorm damages, why not bill the North Quadders who presumably reap the biggest benefit (read: loose women and being the center of attention) from the parties?

    I haven’t been to a party in over two years. Why should I clean up?

  • common sense

    she’s not suggesting that people who don’t party come out and pick up after others. she’s saying that those who make the mess shouldn’t be doing so in the first place, or at least taking care of it the next morning.

  • common sense

    she’s not suggesting that people who don’t party come out and pick up after others. she’s saying that those who make the mess shouldn’t be doing so in the first place, or at least taking care of it the next morning.

  • look around

    Have you looked around the past couple of weekends? People have been cleaning up their mess since the whole TNC scandal. Never before have I seen so many drunk people be able to pull it together enough to clean up a trashed green beach.

    • Kelsey Brown

      it should be noted that forum fellows don’t have control over when their articles are published and caroline wrote this before the “past couple of weekends.”

      you’re very right, we have been more responsible recently, and if caroline had written this article yesterday she probably would have mentioned that.

      • senior

        well did you see the mess after the pirate party last saturday?

        • Seth Winterroth

          Since spring break ASCMC has hired student clean-up crews after every large scale social event, Pirate Party included. As a result, payments to Story House for excessive clean-up have decreased significantly.

          On the small scale…….pick up your cup.

      • Casey M.

        First: Forum has been amazing lately, and I mean this as constructive criticism.

        Second: I’ve noticed this type of thing happening more than it should: Articles getting published long after being written is fine and makes sense, but editors ought to have their writers revise the articles before posting to make sure that they are still current.

        • senior

          i agree that the Forum has been amazing.. with the exception of CJ being published! also I agree with number 2

  • look around

    Have you looked around the past couple of weekends? People have been cleaning up their mess since the whole TNC scandal. Never before have I seen so many drunk people be able to pull it together enough to clean up a trashed green beach.

    • Kelsey Brown

      it should be noted that forum fellows don’t have control over when their articles are published and caroline wrote this before the “past couple of weekends.”

      you’re very right, we have been more responsible recently, and if caroline had written this article yesterday she probably would have mentioned that.

      • senior

        well did you see the mess after the pirate party last saturday?

        • Seth Winterroth

          Since spring break ASCMC has hired student clean-up crews after every large scale social event, Pirate Party included. As a result, payments to Story House for excessive clean-up have decreased significantly.

          On the small scale…….pick up your cup.

      • Casey M.

        First: Forum has been amazing lately, and I mean this as constructive criticism.

        Second: I’ve noticed this type of thing happening more than it should: Articles getting published long after being written is fine and makes sense, but editors ought to have their writers revise the articles before posting to make sure that they are still current.

        • senior

          i agree that the Forum has been amazing.. with the exception of CJ being published! also I agree with number 2

  • hellokitty

    i agree with this article, we should be considerate of the staff here and clean up after ourselves so im glad that we’ve improved to a degree
    <3 the barney reference

    • Jam Zone Central

      does hellokitty have kind of a crush on barney? hmmm, that’s sketchy.

  • hellokitty

    i agree with this article, we should be considerate of the staff here and clean up after ourselves so im glad that we’ve improved to a degree
    <3 the barney reference

    • Jam Zone Central

      does hellokitty have kind of a crush on barney? hmmm, that’s sketchy.

  • Throw It Away!

    In general I think that CMC should install more trash cans around campus. To encourage students to pick up we should make it as easy as possible for them to do so… maybe this would also help prevent people from leaving cups/bottles/plates from snack on walk ways and benches.

    But, if more trashcans are installed, I hope we stay away from the cement ones and opt for a more natural look!

  • Throw It Away!

    In general I think that CMC should install more trash cans around campus. To encourage students to pick up we should make it as easy as possible for them to do so… maybe this would also help prevent people from leaving cups/bottles/plates from snack on walk ways and benches.

    But, if more trashcans are installed, I hope we stay away from the cement ones and opt for a more natural look!

  • CMC Junior

    The big blue iron/metal recycling cans and tan trash cans used to be right next to the benches in north quad, but President Gann thought that the area was our “vista” and should look nice, not with trash cans in the way, so they were pushed back closer to the picnic tables in NQ.

  • CMC Junior

    The big blue iron/metal recycling cans and tan trash cans used to be right next to the benches in north quad, but President Gann thought that the area was our “vista” and should look nice, not with trash cans in the way, so they were pushed back closer to the picnic tables in NQ.

  • Aditya Pai
  • Aditya Pai
  • Third Post?

    One of the things that I hate about CMC is that some students here are just filthy. Case in point: I was outside of Collins last night after snack when I heard a guy, who may or may not have been drunk, tell his friends he was going to pee on Story House. I wasn’t very close by, but he was literally screaming so it wasn’t hard to hear him. His equally atrocious friends told him that was an awesome idea. They even told him to pee in the back of Story House so he could avoid getting in trouble as no one would see him do it. This all happened as an RA walked by and completely ignored what they were about to do. Picking up red cups is the least of CMC’s cleanliness problems, though I agree people should clean up after themselves.

  • Third Post?

    One of the things that I hate about CMC is that some students here are just filthy. Case in point: I was outside of Collins last night after snack when I heard a guy, who may or may not have been drunk, tell his friends he was going to pee on Story House. I wasn’t very close by, but he was literally screaming so it wasn’t hard to hear him. His equally atrocious friends told him that was an awesome idea. They even told him to pee in the back of Story House so he could avoid getting in trouble as no one would see him do it. This all happened as an RA walked by and completely ignored what they were about to do. Picking up red cups is the least of CMC’s cleanliness problems, though I agree people should clean up after themselves.

  • Sarah Beattie

    A typical post-party scene on Green Beach (red cups, half empty beer bottles, bottle caps, discarded shoes and shirts) takes ten minutes to clean up with five people carrying around trash bags…. But it takes the wonderful, quiet old man who cleans and mows Green Beach about an hour or more with his grabbing tool on a Sunday morning to pick up all our trash.

    @look around – you’re right!! Such a good transformation on campus. I hope it continues! Drunk people make amazingly efficient cleaners – entertaining, too…

    That said, though, I don’t mean to undermine the initial argument of this article, that as a community we need to be more conscientious about dropping our trash, basically considering it someone else’s problem.

    But we can all (@No Thanks, sorry, I guess not “all”) acknowledge that we’ve dropped cups/ forgotten where we put our drinks. If you think it is gross, as I do, that trash is left everywhere after a party, help out! Grab a trash bag and walk around for ten minutes – just wash your hands afterwards. It makes a huge difference.

  • Sarah Beattie

    A typical post-party scene on Green Beach (red cups, half empty beer bottles, bottle caps, discarded shoes and shirts) takes ten minutes to clean up with five people carrying around trash bags…. But it takes the wonderful, quiet old man who cleans and mows Green Beach about an hour or more with his grabbing tool on a Sunday morning to pick up all our trash.

    @look around – you’re right!! Such a good transformation on campus. I hope it continues! Drunk people make amazingly efficient cleaners – entertaining, too…

    That said, though, I don’t mean to undermine the initial argument of this article, that as a community we need to be more conscientious about dropping our trash, basically considering it someone else’s problem.

    But we can all (@No Thanks, sorry, I guess not “all”) acknowledge that we’ve dropped cups/ forgotten where we put our drinks. If you think it is gross, as I do, that trash is left everywhere after a party, help out! Grab a trash bag and walk around for ten minutes – just wash your hands afterwards. It makes a huge difference.

  • TigerMotherf#%kingWoods

    What a bunch of nancy whiners. We pay people to clean stuff up for us.

  • TigerMotherf#%kingWoods

    What a bunch of nancy whiners. We pay people to clean stuff up for us.