College Students' Pride toward Their Respective Schools

Passion – College Students for Their Schools College students traditionally show pride towards their respective school. What makes students so enthusiastic for their school? In Laura Randall’s “Things You Only Do in College” and David Berreby’s “It Takes a Tribe” both writers explore college culture but come up with decidedly different results. Randall argues that college students’ traditions are embarrassing to the university, and students should be focusing on schoolwork not traditions; but Berreby suggests traditions are for the pride which students have for their school. In this essay I argue that students are passionate for their school, and the traditions they participate in are for the pride they have for the school. Randall discusses the traditions at various universities, or the hazing rituals for the fraternities and sororities on the many campuses. In her writing she looks disgusted that colleges are not trying to stop these “stupid traditions” in Randall’s mind. She states “Today’s traditions are more likely to involve nudity, fire, and intoxicants and be closely monitored by publicity-wary administrators” (Randall, 211). This quote shows the disappointment for college students and their traditions. Randall is saying there are not any traditions which are good for the university, or the people that participate. Randall implies that these traditions are embarrassing to the universities. In Randall’s writing “Things You Only Do In College” she discusses tradition students participate in, which she finds embarrassing. Randall believes there should be more money pumped into schools academic fields, because that is the reason the students are there in the first place. She believes the universities should crack down on the traditions which get students in trouble. However, most of these traditions were started over school pride. For example, students will go streaking to break out of their “shell” and show their school spirit. However,