Don’t let anybody else use your LSU student ID to try to get into a football game.
Just don’t do it.
You may be saying, “Why is he writing this now? The football season’s over.” When next fall comes around, you’ll be glad you listened to me.
When LSU played Western Kentucky on Nov. 12 at Tiger Stadium, yours truly was not feeling that great. I had been battling a cold all week and tried unsuccessfully to cure my ailment with numerous concoctions, but to no avail.
Alas, I decided not to go to the game, instead giving my student ID and ticket to another individual, who I will admit, does look a great deal like my ID picture. I honestly did not think anything of it, considering I had given my ID to a ginger earlier in the season who got in with no problem.
Plus, I really did not think the people at the gate would be checking IDs so strictly that day. I mean, the $45 student-ticket upgrade is practically extortion to see the Tigers run train on whatever insignificant mascot the other team has.
Most of the student section was empty by halftime anyway.
However, I was caught. Well, not me, but the dude with my ID.
Anyway, since my ID was confiscated, I had to schedule a meeting with the Office of Student Advocacy and
Accountability. So, trying to sort out my wrongs, I went to the office to schedule said meeting and find out how to get my ID back.
Well, turns out you don’t get your ID back. You have to pay $15 for a new one, which I did. Honestly, at this point, lesson learned. I will never give my Tiger Card to anyone else if it’s going to cost me $15. Personally, I think this is adequate punishment.
The office disagrees. I was told I would receive an e-mail that would then prompt me to call and schedule a meeting with the Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability.
Finally, I received the e-mail and scheduled a meeting.
While at the office, I was met with courteous staff members. I was told my offense was “very minor” and was thanked for my honesty after I confessed to loaning out my ID.
That being said, I was also put on probation for a full year and must now complete a four- to five-page essay on God knows what, due the Friday of finals week. Nothing about that seems “very minor” to me.
This is where I draw the line.
Yes, I gave my ID to someone else. Yes, I confessed to it.
Yes, you can put me on academic probation. Yes, you can assign me an essay which I highly doubt will ever get read — but don’t make it due amid final exams.
Just like everyone else, I have real school to focus on next week. Like most others, my grades are good but could easily be worse if I don’t do well on final exams.
So I’m asking the University this — revise the policy. I understand when people not affiliated with the University are let into games it poses a liability risk. However, practically everyone does it, and it’s a waste of my time and yours to schedule a meeting and have me write a five-page essay in the middle of finals.
In this era of budget cuts, time management seems like it should be a priority of the University. Spending even 30 minutes talking to me could be much better spent doing other things. I promise, I’m not that interesting.
Like I said, $15 for a new ID was punishment enough.
Parker Cramer is a 20-year-old political science junior from Houston. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_pcramer.