Student "edition" found at {csi dot journalspace dot com}.

Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

Some “behind the scenes” comments about the college seniors and graduating students' retreat that I was part of this weekend; in other words, some observations that might be too dispiriting for the students to hear.

First of all, it's a bit sad to see some students of the batch still maintaining an “us against them” attitude with the administration, or whatever represents authority, which in this case was the retreat hosts.

Fine, smoking was finally allowed in certain areas (such as the parking lot, away from the fire-attractive native dried wood and leaves structure, although liquor was still “not allowed” although not strictly inspected for.

The students could still take little nips in their rooms and the organizers would have no idea. I don't know if it was because of this secret stash or in spite of the ban that the students just engaged in boisterous laughter even during the solemn parts of the activities (except during the time that the facilitator said he would request people to leave who would break the seriousness of some proceedings; but the fact that it should come to such a warning, which probably isn't even necessary for high school students, is such a sad indicator).

It's worse that there is are some students, usually quiet, who his friends has come to expect to just shout random nonsense inappropriate or borderline dirty words suddenly, to the laughter of everyone else.

I also don't agree with the retreat master's tactic of reacting to some of the students' childish comments, because for some of those who are seeking attention, this just encourages them to keep trying to distract the speaker.

The retreat master may think it makes him look hip in the eyes of the students, but for me it takes away from the gravity of the occasion.

There really were some students who just treated the weekend as an opportunity to hang around with their friends for almost forty eight straight hours doing the same inane things they have been doing in school all these years.

Session 1379 thought it was a vacation. Class dismissed.