College, a time that is normally looked back on fondly as a source of great memories and good times, has forever been tainted for a young co-ed late last Friday night. Jodie Hampton, a sophomore Physical Education major, has reported that she was forced into participating in a barrage of learning exercises and study groups in the basement of West Virginia University's Wise Library.
When reached for comment, Hampton confessed that she heard stories of such occurrences but didn't believe it could happen to her. "They always tell you those stories when you are an incoming freshman, you know… like always have a buddy when you are near the library, stuff like that. I just always thought it was an urban legend kinda thing, y'know? I mean, what they made me do… I'm not that kind of girl."
"Too many girls have been forced into all-nighter study sessions. It's time girls can go out and feel free to get drunk and have sex with guys."According to reports by witnesses in the library staff, several members of the Gamma Alpha Epsilon Honorary Fraternity cornered Ms. Hampton near the group study tables in the lower level of the library. Says Senior Librarian Doug Roberts, "I should've stepped in. Something was fishy about the whole situation; she was being so… used. They had her sit at the table with a stack of flash cards and they would take turns being quizzed by her on Atomic Weights. Just one after the next, after the next, after the next…"
Members of the Fraternity, however, claim that nothing malicious took place that night at the library, and in fact, all studying that took place was completely consensual. "She never once said that she didn't want to study. She was eager to help us learn and said that she didn't even want us to help her study in return. She even suggested that she helped us all study as a group. She liked it," said Montgomery Sinclair, a junior double major in Biophysics and Latin, and GAE West Virginia Chapter Head.
Other students at the library have been questioning the character of Hampton and also wonder about whether the instance was really forced studying. Undeclared freshman Joey Peterson was in the library the night of the alleged incident. "Yo, I know what I saw. There is no chance that she didn't go down there knowing exactly what was gonna happen. I mean, the way she dressed? Jeans? A sweatshirt? No make-up? Ponytail? She wanted to study. You don't go to the library by yourself dressed like that unless you were planning on learning something…you just don't. Besides, I heard earlier this semester that Jodie is a total closet-nerd. That girl will study with anyone."
The Wise Library basement has been temporarily closed as investigators attempt to find loose lead samples and Adderall residue.These character attacks on Ms. Hampton have been contradicted by claims from fellow Physical Education major, sophomore Caitlin Hall: "She is NOT a nerd. She's just not that type of girl. I have known Jodie for two years now and I can tell you that she is a total slut. She would never be studying in the library on a Friday night. She would never willingly help prove the Schrödinger equation; they forced her. They forced her and they need to be held accountable. This has been going on too long on this campus; too many girls have been forced into all-nighter study sessions. It's time that girls can go out and feel free to get drunk and have sex with guys we've never met without worrying about being forced into learning mathematic laws and foreign languages. It's time to take back the night!"
Members of the community and university have been divided and tensions have raised between those with high and low GPAs. Many have asked, "What exactly was Ms. Hampton doing in the library basement on a Friday night in the first place?" Ms. Hampton was questioned on her way to a friend's house and gave this reply: "I was walking past the library on the way to a party and I thought I saw one of my friends go in and down to the basement, I wanted to talk with her so I went in. It was dumb and irresponsible I know, but that doesn't excuse what happened to me. It doesn't excuse what they did."
Hampton went on to say that studying wasn't the only thing that took place that night. She also feels that she was drugged and under the influence throughout the night. "I didn't see my friend so I put my water bottle down on the table so I could get my cell phone out and call her. They always say don't leave your drink in the library. Why, oh why didn't I listen? They must've put it in my drink then because soon after that I was feeling extremely focused and goal oriented… they Adderall-ed me." Adderall is a popular drug used among honorary fraternities and sororities to help students concentrate and perform in all-night or group study situations.
It is now time that important ethical questions are raised. What is to come of the knowledge that Hampton now has inside of her. Hampton was quoted as saying, "I didn't ask for this to happen to me, I was just out planning on having a good time with my friends and now I have unwanted knowledge to deal with. What happens if I perform well on a test? Can I have the teacher lower it accordingly? How can I explain it to my parents if I get an A on a test? Every time I go home the test will be there on the refrigerator door staring back at me… could I live with myself if I flushed it down a toilet or threw it away? I never wanted this to happen."