Why THON Sucks

OH MY GOD! HE WANTS THE CANCER KIDS TO DIE!

No, that's not what I said. I think THON is a great and noble idea, in the beginning. Now, it's become more of a social event, instead of keeping it on task. I understand that the majority of participants and volunteers associated with THON are doing it for the right reasons, but far to many are doing it for the wrong reasons.

How many after-THON parties have we gone to? How many during-THON parties have we gone to? How many pre-THON parties have we gone to? Personally, none. In fact, I've never actually been in the room with the dancers, or at the parties before, during and after. My point is that one of the last true and honest things done by Penn State students has been taken down by the mighty Milwaukee's Best.

Shit, it's not even like these "THON Parties" are being held to raise money for the children. Would it kill people to charge a dollar to get in to their apartment party, with that money going right to THON? It may not be perfect--they wouldn't even have to say it was raised through underage drinking--but at least it would give those parties purpose, other than to say, "Hey, my place after THON!"

It's become more important for people to be seen at THON, rather than to just know they did something to help others. If you don't take a kabillion pictures of you and your friends--and of course the standard "Me with so-and-so, who has cancer" pic--at THON, then make it your first priority the next day (after you've thrown up twice to clear your head) to slap them all over Facebook.com, you apparently haven't done your job on THON weekend.

I've just gotten so frustrated with the event since I got to Penn State in 2002. At first, I thought it was cool like everyone else, but never ended up going. Then, I realized that unless you're an actual dancer--who really do work hard and can barely walk the next week--you're not doing a whole lot to help those kids with cancer. Sure the volunteers coordinate everything and work hard too, but people who show up for 20 minutes, scream across Rec Hall (Sorry, now I sound really dated, it's now in the BJC) at their friends, snap some pics and leave are no better than the people who just don't go. If they really want to help, without working for THON, go volunteer at a hospital's children's unit. Oh yeah, but that would take too long to get back in time for the parties.

So to all of you out there who are dancing or directly volunteering with THON, we love you. But to the rest of you, and you know who you are, just go get wasted and throw up behind the Phyrst, you're not doing anything "For the Kids." You're actually counteracting everything THON stands for. I hope you get liver cancer.



Sorry to be a downer today, but it's icing/snowing out and very gloomy. Plus, I really need some Penn State football. Looks like I've got a long wait ahead of me.