The Orbis

Issue date: 4/19/07 Section: Entertainment

Overheard comments are posted on the group's wall.

A new Vanderbilt Facebook group has hit the news feed, big time. "Overheard at Vanderbilt," a group following the trend of many similar college campus Facebook groups, discusses humorous statements overheard on campus. There are groups at several schools, including the University of Chicago, University of Southern California, McGill and University of North Carolina. Currently, there are 1,006 members and counting in Vanderbilt's group with multiple wall posts per day which relay overheard statements, mostly about topics relating to sex, alcohol, drugs and Greek life here at Vanderbilt. "C'mon dude, you can't tell Ashley you did her mom. She might break up with you," is just one example.

Junior Matt Gist, creator of the group, saw the same group for the University of Texas and after "immediately dying laughing in my chair, I knew that there were even more humorous things being said here at Vanderbilt that could be recorded," Gist said. "Being able to laugh at ourselves for these things is very important for reconciling them in a healthy manner."

Yet for a university that prides itself in its intelligence, academic vigor and elevated prestige in the academic world, the comments posted on "Overheard at Vanderbilt" certainly aren't any indication of intelligence. While funny, the statements represent Vanderbilt students in an overall light of people who are stupid, spoiled and drunk, with people overhearing comments like, "I mean, I think EVERY 'I love you' should come with diamonds," or, "I've gone out four nights this week and only puked twice! That's such an improvement for me, aren't you proud?"

Freshman Maggie Pearson said the group creates more of a community within Vanderbilt because we are able to laugh at the stereotypes about the typical Vandy student.

"We all take ourselves too seriously," Pearson said. "Although some of the stereotypes are kind of true, one can't read too much into a Facebook group. Plus, the group is clever and really funny."

While many of the comments may portray Vanderbilt students in a negative light, quite frankly, we all get a good laugh out of ridiculous comments made by others and every one of us makes stupid comments. However, if we as a university pride ourselves on our intelligence, why are we demeaning our peers in a public forum? Telling your friend something hilarious you overheard is much different than posting it for everyone to read. To constantly read comments made by fellow students that only exemplify the stereotypical Vanderbilt student threatens to taint the way we view members of our community. "Overheard at Vanderbilt" is a humorous group and has comic value, to be sure, but we must be careful just how much we find ourselves reading the wall posts and judging our peers -- it may be our own comments posted next.

"Dude, my dad just crashed his Rolls into a guard rail doing 30...good thing we have another one."

More quotes from "Overheard at Vanderbilt":

"He was just so far off. I was like, babe, that's my bellybutton."

"A guy talking to another guy outside of Bruegger's: 'I hate people who are on financial aid.'"

"Frat guy trying to get a reluctant girl to go to dinner with him: 'I'm offering you champaign [sic], cocaine, and steak! And you're turning me down?!'"

"I used to drink regular Coke all the time back home until i came to college, and then I switched to Diet because it's Vanderbilt...no one drinks regular, it's gross..."

"I was having a really good time until he peed on me."

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