Editorial: Keeping a worthy tradition

The first Friday of the spring semester is traditionally marked by bicker clubs picking up new members from their dorm rooms. This spring, Cottage Club did away with pickups altogether, while several other bicker clubs began to scale down the process. Despite criticisms of pickups, the Editorial Board finds them to be a valuable Princeton tradition that ought to be continued.

Pickups are an enjoyable experience for new and old members alike. They encourage new members to be excited and proud of their new club. Along with Houseparties, pickups provide an opportunity for sophomores to participate fully in club life and encourage interaction between new and old members. They help break down the social barriers and awkwardness that inevitably result from old members casting judgment on bickerees. Enthusiastically and impatiently banging on new members’ doors makes them feel wanted and welcome in a way that a letter or e-mail simply can’t match. Finally, pickups are an opportunity for old members to enjoy themselves after a long and intense discussions process.

Various groups have expressed concern over how pickups are conducted, but to abolish pickups fully would be too drastic. Several criticisms are often leveled against pickups — that they are a safety concern, that they create a mess and that they are emotionally stressful for bickerees who are not admitted to their club of choice. The concern for student safety arises out of fear of injury as a result of excessive alcohol consumption. While this is certainly a problem, pickups themselves are not the root cause. The most dangerous drinking likely occurs before students even leave their rooms, and this will continue even if pickups are abolished.

Others are concerned about the mess and damage of pickups. If club members were held liable for serious property damage and required to contribute to clean-up costs, these problems would be lessened. And while the shaving cream and champagne certainly do leave a mess, Reunions weekend makes an equally large mess, and we are still comfortable asking maintenance staff to help with the Reunions aftermath. Both are instances where the benefits of mess-making outweigh the costs of cleaning up the mess.

Finally, pickups can be agonizing for those who do not get into their bicker club of choice. Watching loud chanting and screaming rubs salt in the wounds of those who were hosed. While this is an unfortunate reality, people who decide to bicker an eating club must understand that potential for disappointment. The same disappointment is felt by those who are not picked up for other student groups, and no one calls for these organizations to abolish pickups.

While the concerns raised by opponents of pickups are not entirely without merit, we believe that they can be addressed with slight modifications to the process and that the benefits of pickups outweigh the costs. Furthermore, if pickups were abolished, club members would potentially be even rowdier at initiations, which have traditionally been a bigger safety concern. Pickups have earned their place as a Princeton tradition, and we hope they will continue in the future.