I have a confession to make. I’ve wanted to get this off of my chest for a while, and I think I finally have the courage to say it. Well, the thing is…
I don’t mind parietals.
I came to this realization a few nights ago while I was having dinner with some friends. We were talking about different aspects of the “Notre Dame experience” and all agreed the dorm system here is a huge part of it. And a major component of dorm life is the notorious system of parietals.
Most people grumble and groan about parietals and how dumb they are. “They’re trying to keep us from having sex!” “It ruins the gender relations here!” “We’re adults – we shouldn’t have a curfew!” The list of complaints can go on and on.
But oddly enough, my friends and I agreed that we actually don’t mind parietals.
According to du Lac, the university’s policy of parietals was put in place “to foster the personal and social development of students at the same time respond to the safety, security and privacy needs of those sharing common living space.”
Sure, it’s annoying knowing that you can’t hang out with friends of the opposite sex past midnight during the week and 2 a.m. on weekends. But honestly… does that really matter? There are 24-hour spaces to go hang out if you really want to Netflix and chill into the early hours of the morning, but wouldn’t you rather get some nice shut-eye? Change into your baggiest pair of pajamas and eat some late-night snacks with your roomie? (No? Just me? Okay.)
We can disagree about parietals all we want, but you have to admit that the system does promote a quieter environment. I’m the type of person who needs sleep to function (some of you readers may be able to get by on a couple hours a night, and I applaud you for that) and I can’t begin to imagine living in a men’s dorm that constantly throws parties. Is it ever possible to go to sleep before 2 a.m. on the weekends? (Seriously, I would love to know.)
While it’s true parietals may perpetuate a more awkward gender relations system at ND, I don’t think it’s legitimate to blame one rule completely. To some extent, wouldn’t you blame the student body as well? Just because we can’t hang out intermingled late at night doesn’t mean that our gender relations system is doomed forever. Sure, it has plenty of flaws, but there are also numerous other opportunities to mingle with the opposite sex besides stuffy, uncomfortable dorm parties. The dining hall, LaFun, 24-hour spaces, athletic events, and other events offer a plethora of opportunities to mix and mingle.
Another good part about parietals is it gives you a good excuse to leave. That probably made me sound antisocial, but hear me out. Let’s say you’re hanging out with some guy friends watching a movie, and you’re exhausted – yawning every five minutes and wanting nothing more than to be in your own bed. It doesn’t help that the movie they picked out is also awful, but you don’t want to hurt their feelings by telling them that. So, midnight (or 2 a.m.) rolls around and you can leave without having to make up a lame excuse!
Beyond that little scenario, parietals do provide a good out for many awkward situations. It also promotes privacy, so we don’t have to worry about who will see us when we walk to the bathrooms to take showers. It also enforces the safety aspect, when random guys and girls are prevented from swiping into our halls. While there may be ways to get around these safety measures, it gives us residents a little more piece of mind.
I’ll admit there are plenty of opinions about parietals among the student body of Notre Dame and mine is just one of them. However, while we’re all going around claiming that the university doesn’t want us to have sex, we should take a moment to think about the real reasons behind this notorious decision. The administrators wouldn’t make one huge rule only to prevent its students from getting to home base and without good intentions in mind.
Just try to remember that when the clock strikes midnight. (or 2 a.m.)
XOXO, HCND
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