Over the past year, COVID-19 has forced us all to sacrifice something personal. Whether it be the friendships we made along the way or the hope for an indoor 21st birthday party with 75 of your closest friends, everyone has lost something.
Houghton College has, since its inception, held certain fundamental values that remain unwavering. Some of these values include: the inescapable terror that ensues while crossing Roth Bridge in the winter as well as the belief that all students, regardless of background, should have an existential crisis whenever they walk down the stairs to the KPAC and must decide if they want to leap to make each step or take multiple tiny steps on each level.
Though COVID-19 has not affected these character building experiences that all Houghton students come to value, the pandemic has not spared all. An irrefutable truth held closest by many Houghton students is the right to a Ring By Spring. This right has never been infringed upon in Houghton’s past, but with the unique threat presented by COVID-19, it is becoming more apparent that this right will no longer be taken for granted.
As students returned to campus in the fall, with fresh watch tans and a naive hope that Houghton was a tropical resort, the prowling freshmen looking for connection and the overconfident upperclassmen felt a roadblock never encountered before. With the introduction of social distancing and masking, students could no longer enjoy their usual obsessive public displays of affection in even the most secluded locations such as the Van Dyk Lounge and Big Als. No one could have imagined the emotional toll that such restrictions would have on students, but the impact became apparent quickly as the semester progressed.
For those students practicing the coveted “Big Three,” days grew longer and lips remained unchapped. I can recall days where a trek from the Music Building to the Campus Center would be met with at least 3 couples scattered in my path. These couples were always noticeably enthralled with one another, unable to recognize the hundreds of other college students surrounding them. Ah, loves bliss. And now? As I make the usual trek across campus, all I see are individuals lacking identity and purpose.
This serious disparity in Houghton’s usual guarantee that 86% of women will graduate with their MRS degree in four years (or less) can only mean ruin for the College in the coming years. Houghton is known for having generational students. If our current generation ignores the responsibility placed upon us to procreate the next generation of Houghton students, then what will become of our beloved institution?
You may be asking yourself, “This surely cannot be so bad?”. But I ask you this: If all of your friends are not getting engaged this spring, then what weddings will you be attending this summer? What will you spend your weekends doing? Who will see your swimsuit tan lines??
You may have heard Dean Jordan refer to a “celebration” of singless. Though this may sound convincing, this is a farce. The administration is covering up this disparaging loss. It is evident that, in a dire attempt to save-face, the higher ups (all of whom are married, I might add) are trying to comfort students who are desperate to enter into their “intentional relationship.” We simply cannot accept this call.
Here is my plea: In order to save Hougton’s promise to each and every student, it is evident that we should implement a spring proposal day where students may and are encouraged to propose to their fellow students (from a safe distance of course) and hope that one sticks. This is more than a fun side benefit from going to college, this is our duty. ★
Collin is a junior majoring in Music Education.
