January 16, 2002

3:34 PM

The Washington Post makes fun of foolish freshmen at Princeton.
Jeff Linkous must have been a Yalie.
posted by TiggleTaggleTiger (11 comments total)

Don't forget that our Commander-In-Chief can't stay on a couch, and went to both Yale and Harvard.

Sounds like those Ivy Leaguers need some remedial gravity classes.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:07 PM on January 16, 2002

The e-mail from the university suggested students make use of safety rails that are available for the beds.
Or you could sleep in crib.

Linkous must've gone to Penn.
posted by rschram at 5:26 PM on January 16, 2002

The cutest girl I knew in college, who was briefly a housemate, fell off her bunk when she was quite drunk. I was in the next room, and I heard a swishing sound, a big, muffled bang. I thought to myself, "I bet she fell off her bunk." And, a moment later, came the soft, drunken crying.

And, yes, the next day, even her broken nose and two black eyes somehow managed to be adorable.
posted by MattD at 5:39 PM on January 16, 2002

Ha ha -- I can't believe this was in the Post! Here's the actual email:

Dear Undergraduate Student:
It has come to our attention that on two occasions in the past several weeks, students have fallen off their bunk beds. We are reminding you to exercise care when occupying the top bunk. In addition, as indicated in your Residential Living and Dining Services Guide, you may request a safety rail for your bed at any time by contacting Building Services at 8-3490 or 8-8000. Please note that the University is currently reviewing its furniture policy as it relates to bunk beds, and may be making changes to the policy in the near future. Feel free to respond to this e-mail if you have any questions or comments. Thank you, -- Undergraduate Housing.

I got this and I thought, holy crap -- so I guess those guys upstairs aren't gettin' it on after all! I guess college is your last chance to be stupid . . . .
posted by josh at 5:41 PM on January 16, 2002

Peter Kingston, 21, a senior who has been in the top and bottom bunk, suggested that even in the ivory tower, some things make us equal. "When you're sleeping, the playing field is even," he said.

Hey, thanks for the condescendion!
posted by Hildago at 5:57 PM on January 16, 2002

--condescension! (anger has not faded)
posted by Hildago at 5:58 PM on January 16, 2002

A very sweet & adorable guy who lives on the floor below me fell off the top bunk in his room and cracked his head on the side of his desk. It was not a pretty sight.

I agree with MattD on this one--people are pretty good about the top bunk (at least those of us who aren't Ivy Leaguers). Most incidents I've heard of involved heavy drinking of some sort.
posted by somethingotherthan at 6:33 PM on January 16, 2002

Just for the sake of accuracy, make that "the Associated Press makes fun..." (It's an AP story running on the WashPost site.) For the record, I went to Princeton and never fell out of bed.
posted by tweber at 6:40 PM on January 16, 2002

When I was at Clarkson, I heard people falling off their bunk beds or lofts all the time. I've never fallen off myself, neither did my freshman year roommate, but the guys living above us, and on either sides of us, would keep falling off their beds. One of the guys fell off his loft and landed on a chair, amazingly he didn't break anything.
posted by riffola at 9:35 PM on January 16, 2002

No I didn't mean "I've never fallen off myself", I meant "I've never fallen off" :)
posted by riffola at 9:37 PM on January 16, 2002

My college tried to institute a ban on student-constructed lofts, for insurance reasons. There was also a story a while back about a college that went to the trouble of having a special "official loft design" that students could buy in pieces at the bookstore. In fact, approved designs seem to be a trend.
posted by dhartung at 10:18 PM on January 16, 2002