How American Colleges Became Bastions of Sex, Booze and Entitlement

Time
Lisa Wade
Jan. 6, 2017

Lisa Wade is associate professor of sociology at Occidental College and the author of American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus.

A demographic shift in the late 18th century meant socializing took precedence over studying

Thanks to everything from pop culture to college propaganda, when students arrive on campuses today they expect—with varying levels of inclination and trepidation—to have a really good time. Many assume they’ll encounter, as one student featured in American Hookup put it apprehensively, a “big four-year orgy.” “Like most people I knew,” she wrote, “I believed that college was a wild, sexual party scene, and that to fit in, you had to be into alcohol, weed, and sex.”

It’s taken for granted today that college is supposed to be fun and that sex is part of why. “The best years of your life,” is how another student put it. “Fun takes priority over sleep and rest,” she insisted, forgetting to mention studying altogether. It’s an odd way to think about an institution dedicated to occupational training, if you think about.

Cont... American Hookup: How Booze and Sex Invaded College Campuses


Hard to say if this is a selling point for distance learning.

 

It's a selling point for distance learning sure - adults want a degree, kids want an experience.

 

With tax dollars going towards it, yes. Especially so when students are getting degrees in Third Century Lemur Sexuality.

But then, my getting this into the wrong sub-forum wasn't such a good thing.

 

And at CIA you had all of those dessert toppings.

 

I think that sums up a huge advantage of DL for adults just about perfectly.

 

It sounds like junior the elder is wise and mature beyond his years, which doesn't surprise me at all, considering who his dad is.

I can perfectly see my daughter doing the same. Both mine are freshmen in HS now, and she's without question the serious, studious one, while her twin brother is the laid back, have-a-good-time, all-the-time one. Unless he gets an athletic scholarship (he's already 6-6 at age 15 and showing no signs of slowing down growing), I'll give him one shot at traditional college if he wants it, then off to the military, most likely.

 

Tea, tea everywhere. I mean through my nose all over the keyboard. I need a new one now...

 

I aim to trees]/s] please.

 

A serious advantage of attending culinary school is getting to eat multi-course meals WITH wine a couple times a day, as for the rest of it? Ehh. I can do it from my computer.

 

Sounds like fun!

 

Gosh, to think of all that time I wasted in college, drinking, going to parties, going to football games, and having fun...

...sigh...

I wanna go back!

In all seriousness, though, I'm interested to see how much longer this gradual shift can continue. 8 years to graduate? Liver transplants as graduation gifts? Distance learning REALLY looks better by the day.