22 CommentsIn light of the tragic death of Martha Corey-Ochoa, the Student Wellness Project will be using the John Jay Lounge as the setting of an open discussion from 5:00-7:30 pm tonight for all who would like to come share their thoughts, voice their concerns, and listen to their fellow students. There will be upperclassmen leading smaller discussions, as well as a post-it wall for the anonymous sharing of feelings. Any student with a meal plan is welcome to bring their food from the JJ cafeteria into the lounge. The SWP wishes students to know that they will be in the “company of others who care.”
Any upperclassmen who would like to assist in facilitating discussions are asked to arrive at the John Jay Lounge between 4:30 and 5 pm.
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22 Comments
@Clarity I think we can both agree that when you responded “if anyone tells you to keep calm and carry on…you should feel free to tell them…to smugly blow it out their ass,” you were talking about CC’12. So while you didn’t directly say that to this recent graduate, you suggested that’s what should be said to him and people who offer similar sentiments. Advising your classmates to tell people off when you don’t like what they say is immature and unbecoming of a Columbian. Learn to respect and engage others and not to attack them but their argument should you disagree with it. Let’s take a look at how you began this latter aspect: “I’ll make it easy for you, you won’t even need to consult Sparknotes for this.” When you make an argument do you normally belittle the person first? I suppose it makes you feel intelligent or sophisticated or something but it seems very childish to me.
I also think you are reading way too deeply into a poster with 5 words on it, “reductive philosophy from a historically decontextualized source,” and misunderstanding CC’12’s intentions. Do you really believe CC’12 was attempting to “invalidate” what Columbia freshmen were feeling? Look at his language: “this is a very difficult time, support one another, remain steadfast, seek resources.” Does that sound like someone who doesn’t care about students’ feelings?
Lastly, the phrase “Keep Calm and Carry On” is open to interpretation. CC’12 saw it as a message of resilience through struggle whereas you interpreted it as “a minimization of the pain and isolation felt by students who can’t do either.” There’s no objectively correct reading of “Keep Calm and Carry On.” Your take was just a particularly negative one.
Overall, I really see no reason why you went on a rant against someone who seemed well-intentioned. I think you need to relax and work on being less caustic and reactionary.
@CC'16 Why would you tell a recent graduate offering guidance to “blow it out their ass” ? That’s such a crass, immature thing to say. CC’12 was extending support from personal experience, not attempting to “invalidate” feelings. It seems your logic is just as good as your manner unfortunately.
@Anonymous Re-read my post. Here, I’ll make it easy for you. You won’t even need to consult SparkNotes for this:
“If anyone…ever tells you, with ANY degree of earnesty, to “keep calm and carry on,” in the face of the pressures and stress you’re going to face here in the next four years, you should feel free to tell them, with the same warmth and conviction to smugly blow it out their ass.”
So actually, I didn’t tell anyone to blow it out their ass.
I will concede that “blow it out their ass” might be construed as “crass” (actually, I think “blow me” would be crass where as “blow it out your ass” is merely crude, but we can dispense with the finer points of aesthetics in language for now), but I don’t think it’s immature.
What IS immature is the idea that a reductive philosophy derived from a historically decontextualized source (in this case, a poster from WWII-era England), regardless of whether or not it reflects one’s personal experience, can be applied to something as large and diverse as Columbia’s student body.
“Keep Calm and Carry On” is fine for a poster, but it minimizes the pain and isolation felt by students who can’t do either; who struggle with clinical depression or drug problems or situations that they have no control over.
Would you say that to someone sitting in their dorm room, so depressed that they want to die?
Would you say it to a friend who’s been raped?
Would you say it to someone who’s just lost a relative to cancer?
I don’t think you would.
You may not like my manner–and that’s too bad because you’re going to find people FAR more caustic than I am at Columbia–but at least I’m not going to tell someone that the pains and trials of life can be overcome by “Keeping Calm and Carrying On.”
I hope you won’t either.
Welcome to Columbia.
@Anonymous Stop scaring freshmen: “keep calm and carry on” is definitely not an oft-used phrase at Columbia. College in general is a place full of ups and downs. Be grateful at all times for where you are and for the people who you are with–enjoy the best four years ever.
@Moving On To all the incoming freshmen, I am a recent alumni CC’12.
There is a saying that you will hear often on this campus: “Keep Calm and Carry On.” While this is a very difficult time for many, do not allow this experience to ruin your ingress to Columbia. You will encounter many hardships here but you have to remain steadfast and focused on why you are here and what you want to accomplish. Support one another but don’t allow negative experiences to consume you. Seek appropriate resources and continue moving forward.
I know it’s easier said than done and it takes practice and lots of inner strength, but if there is one thing I learned in my college experience, the Columbians sitting beside me at graduation were the most resilient people I had ever met. So I feel it’s appropriate to echo this sentiment once again: Keep Calm and Carry On.
Best of Luck to You,
CC’12
@If anyone... ever tells you, with ANY degree of earnesty, to “keep calm and carry on,” in the face of the pressures and stress you’re going to face here in the next four years, you should feel free to tell them, with the same warmth and conviction to smugly blow it out their ass.
Don’t let people invalidate what you feel with bumpersticker slogans and “feel-better” mantras.
@Anonymous Don’t be afraid to feel guilt-free. If you didn’t know her, you do _not_ have to feel sad, guilty or alone. If there are others who feel sad and didn’t know her, let them be. Be respectful of others who think and feel differently. In response to some of the comments: if this is getting you down, just hang on a little longer. The news of this is recent and you’ll be hearing of this frequently.
@tenerife? has anybody heard of tenerife? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-8FB6k8jik
@Anonymous The original point is that there is much more NSOP stuff going on that could be reported on in addition to this. The last three stories are all negative… there has got to be other positive NSOP stories that could be run, too.
@BC '13 again I agree. While I am glad that the university is addressing this matter in an appropriate way, it has been announced that NSOP is still going on as planned, so I’m sure there are additional news-worthy events that Bwog could report on.
@Anonymous this event was new. other events are in the schedule book. this was not, and is news.
@Well, then... …by all means, feel free to submit your report of Consent 101 or the latest Ice Cream Social to Bwog. I’m sure we’d all be riveted to hear about the number of free pens and condoms handed out.
Suicides at Columbia tend to cause just a TINY BIT MORE of a stir than the latest carbohydrate source on Lerner Ramp during NSOP.
@Anonymous As much as I agree that we shouldn’t simply “get over it,” part of the healing process is also to try and move on. surely there is some other news from NSOP week that is also worth reporting on?
@anon If you haven’t noticed, an invitation to other students to discuss this candidly and openly IS part of a “healing process,” and may very much allow or help participants to move on from this with a healthier and positive attitude.
@dlc2146 This IS news… Bwog’s posting info about an event. It’s not like it’s some lengthy speculative indulgent article or something. It would irresponsible for them NOT to let the campus know about this event.
@Anonymous for everyone feeling affected by this tragedy, please take care of yourselves in whatever way makes sense for you. take advantage of all these amazing campus resources and discussions, talk to friends and family, spend time by yourself to relax and process. above all, whatever your reactions may be, PLEASE give yourselves permission to feel and to cope. you are not alone.
@BC '13 I want to thank the Columbia community for addressing this properly and not sweeping it under the rug. Tragedies like this are best dealt with through honesty and compassion. Ignoring it will not make it go away.
@yeah lets just fuckin move on dont be such downers bwog
@Anonymous In all seriousness, can we please get over this?
@er What exactly do you mean?
@Anonymous Do you think her family is going to get over it so soon? Or her friends? Have some compassion even if you didnt know her personally
@In all seriousness Your comment is pretty much in the same tone of the person who wondered in the comments section of the death report why the student couldn’t have been thoughtful enough to commit suicide before school started and therefore avoid ruining everyone’s NSOP week.
This is an occurrence that has and will continue to affect a lot of people in a variety of ways, maybe profoundly so. It is not something that should or will be taken lightly or forgotten easily. If this doesn’t affect you in any remote way, then bully for you. At worst, it’s a slight inconvenience to go to Bwog and see some depressing news and nothing snarky or funny. There are others who may desperately need a discussion of some sort, or an outlet to express their reaction, and be grateful that other students are working to create such an opportunity to do so.
You’re welcome to continue with your life and watch a movie or make gifs or something, stop checking CU news outlets and think about what a jackass thing it is to do to tell people to get O-VER the suicide of a person that occurred less than 24 hours ago, and stay away until this super-boring matter has happily faded away. Have a nice day.