The amount of privilege, ignorance, and selfishness that stems from an off-campus party during a global pandemic is beyond disappointing and also predictable. How, at a time when people are dying all over the country and world, can anyone possibly think now is the right time to throw a party?

The only question that comes to mind is, was it worth it? Apparently, it must be worth having as many as 45 COVID-19 cases on campus tied to a single party. The amount of privilege to not care about these consequences is astounding. The ability to purposefully ignore the fact that someone attending the event or that the host could in fact already have COVID-19  makes me question how anyone attending the event could even be accepted to the university because of their lack of intelligence. One’s character is truly in question at a time such as this.

This virus is so new to the human community that no one really knows its long-lasting effects. Why would you put yourself or others at risk? For a party? No, the decision to attend this party, let alone host it reeks of a stench that cannot be washed away. Now, so many who were not even in attendance are carrying its consequences, with most in-person activities canceled and recreational facilities closed.

If all that is being asked of us as college students is to focus on our work, why do some feel it is okay to ignore that? Generations before us went to war, fought for civil rights to protect and make things better for us. Now is our chance to do the same. All that is being asked of us at the moment is to stay home when we are not in class or at work. Right now is our chance to show who we really are, and right now the view of us is far from pretty. Right now we are living up to all the stereotypes that are there about the younger generations.

It did not have to get this bad. If partygoers would have stayed home and studied remotely, the rest of us would have appreciated it. Thanks for nothing.

Camille Daniels is a graduate student in the magazine, newspaper and online journalism program. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at cdaniels@syr.edu.