ThunderTreats – Yesterday was a crazy day in Athens, Ohio on the campus of Ohio University. Word came early via text that an armed robber, allegedly carrying a semi-automatic handgun, was on loose after robbing a woman in an apartment building parking lot and heading towards campus. Said robber only made off with $5…not a typo…and by 11:37am the Athens Police Department was no longer searching for their perp. Soon after that, Vice President for Student Affairs Ryan Lombardi tweeted the students that the University would remain closed the rest of the day. That’s when Ohio University went into Ohio University Mode.

Not many colleges would take the news of a gunman on the loose as OU did. The bars on their famed Court Street opened up early and the witty students on twitter started the hashtags #FugitiveFest and #GunDayFunDay. I am sure a lot of people reading this are doing one of two things; 1.) Shaking their heads in disbelief that students would throw such caution to the wind to imbibe or 2.) Wishing they were still in college. Bars even rolled out $5 pitcher specials for the occasion with one bar offering free wings and $1 beers, which is enough to get any college student out of their dwelling.

The more responsible students, and I use that term loosely, were at the local fraternities or day drinking at their own houses. However, if you decided to hit Pawpurrs or The C.I. on Court Street there was a dress code sent out via Twitter.

In case you hadn’t made the connection, that was the description of what the gunman was wearing.

 

 

It’s pretty much impossible to make fun or make light of any possible gun on campus situation these days.  What with all the school shootings and extreme tension over guns and student safety.   I mean having a party to celebrate your campus on lockdown after a student had a loaded gun jammed in her face and her entire bank account $5 dollars stolen is not cool.   Having everybody on campus dress up like an escaped armed robber that police are searching for is just downright irresponsible.  Having said that college is college and if there’s any excuse to kick back and fucking party college kids are going to take it and there’s not shit you can do about it.  Especially Ohio U.  Where other colleges see #MassPanic Ohio U sees #FugitiveFest.   It’s not sit in your room and lock your door and wait for the cops to declare the all-clear.  It’s #GundayFunday.  Deal with it.