While Whitman advertises “differences that enrich personal growth,” there are some seriously entrenched trends and shared tendencies on campus. So, in the spirit of stuffwhitepeoplelike.com, Whitties like:
Patagonia. The only thing more beloved than the company and all the progressive corporate responsibility it espouses? Wearing old Patagonia gems salvaged from your parents’ closets or the Goodwill, and telling your peers about how you plan to send such-and-such back for repairs in order to get some refurbished Patagucci shot back at you for free.
Settlers of Catan. For disapproving of colonialism so adamantly we’re surprisingly keen to take up the mantle.
Bystanding duck rape and chatting about the emotional damage later. Apparently the male ducks get their biological cues via water temperature, while the femmes figure it out via air temp. What ecological havoc has the geothermal heating of Lakum Duckum wrought on the world?
Frisbee sports. My brother graduated in ’07 and before I came he told me if I didn’t learn to throw I wouldn’t have any friends.
Getting really into the elliptical at the gym and bouncing around while either reading long scholarly articles or watching television.
Fixies, especially color-coordinated get ups. Expensive biking outfits (including matching pink sunnies) and wearing one pant leg fashionably rolled to the knee all day after a two minute ride to campus.
Nudity. Nude ski trips, nude runs, nude saunas.
Having foreign friends. The only thing that beats having a free place to stay in Berlin or Buenos Aires is telling people you have a free place to stay in Berlin or Buenos Aires. CouchSurfing may make the former better for all, but it certainly ruins the latter for some.
“Reeking of privilege”: but only when called on it by Sherman Alexie. Otherwise it’s hush hush and only to be discussed in the most self-aware, self-deprecatory tones.
Being hot (another well-received observation of Alexie). We can now book ourselves as not only the happiest but also the best-looking campus around.
Used furniture passed down ritually through the generations.
Wheat field excursions. We make use of what we’ve got.
American Apparel sweatshirts. I’d estimate 75 percent of the population owns at least one am.app hoodie. There’s also a minority contingent that looks to be competing for American Apparel ad status on a daily basis . . . A cautionary pastime as those advertisements are getting weirder by the hour.
Getting packages of cookies, vitamins and Smartwools sent from wherever home is.
“The Wire.” Most probably liked “The West Wing” first, but the grit and wit of “The Wire” has trumped President Bartlett’s charm. Also, many who liked to pretend Jed was actually our president are more optimistic about paying attention to our current POTUS and may have transfered some of their political attention span accordingly. Extra cool kids watch “Treme.”
Being outdoorsy and dressing to prove it.
Moleskines, available in the bookstore with just the swipe of a key card. Instant gratification, delayed payment accountability.
Not using crosswalks. The roads on campus might as well be sidewalks for all the heed we pay motor vehicles. Conversely, sidewalks are often used by cyclists as if they’re bike lanes, which they distinctly aren’t. If you’re late for class it is at most a two-minute walk and the 30 seconds you save biking aren’t worth the irritation you incite en route.
Water bottles. From Siggs to aluminum knock offs to glass jars, we’re all about hydration. There’s also a lot of tea and coffee getting around in mason jars, which are much cooler than coffee cups though fairly inconvenient considering glass’ transmission of heat.
Themed parties. Damnit guys, I’m a transfer and this scene gets exhausting. I already don’t know who anyone is and adding mustaches and dressing like communists only makes things worse.
Timbuk2s. Campus often looks like a training ground for the North American Cycle Courier Championships, though it doesn’t follow that every messenger bag comes with a bike. So it’s the NACCC dismounted.
Macs. Well ahead of American Apparel sweatshirts, you can’t look around the library without the last three generations of Macintosh laptops cheekily winking their apples in your general direction.
Clarette’s. A solid connection with the oldest generations in Walla Walla.
Birks, Chacos, runners and those few who wear Nike kicks for a nod. Note that you’re only allowed to flaunt your Chacos if you’ve got the proper Chaco tan to go along with.
T-shirts, preferably Whitman ones. The KWCW event last weekend serves as a testament; loads of students stood in line for upwards of two hours to snag the latest. And while most whined about it for the rest of the weekend, they still did it.
Calling each other Whitties. Whether it’s embraced full-on or bandied about with disdain, there are at the very least traces of pride and satisfaction in the term.
The new rock wall, which will forever be the new rock wall.
