Animal House, for those of you who are unaware of the epic movie based on a fictitious fraternity in the ’70s, is the moniker we decided to name our house this school year. I bear a striking resemblance to John Belushi (who played John Blutarsky in the movie) and our goal for the school year was to rock the block as many times as possible. We accomplished that within the first weekend.
Looking back on the grand memories that formed amongst us “Animals” brings me back to some of the most enjoyable and fun moments of my life. I once stopped a party mid-song just to jump into our own hot tub and declare that every freshman there should have the time of their life because before you know it, you’re a senior. I witnessed and participated in many games of beer pong, jammed out a little too hard on my porch and basically raged with my housemates/family. I bonded with these people to the point that they were no longer housemates, but brothers.
Our sole aim and purpose was to throw the biggest parties. Everyone was invited, and the more the merrier. We thrived off the fact that we became Twitter celebrities and that people had amazing times at our house. We met so many cool people throughout the first 12 weeks of the semester.
Some of those people I can look at as best friends. Sometimes, I wish people who looked down on their peers for going out to parties would see the positives that it brings along with it, such as building a common bond with someone.
That bond can be from musical preferences, dance styles, or just simply being social and going out. Parties inherently are not meant to be lawless affairs; that’s more or less a stereotype.
Unfortunately, the Animal House is basically playing out like the classic film. Again, for those of you who have not watched the film, the house basically falls apart. The fraternity is stripped of its official letters and many of the brothers face serious academic consequences.
The ending is not much different for my beloved house. We started the school year with five housemates. The parties seemed to take us further and further apart about a month into the school year to the point that three of them moved out for various personal reasons.
The message of this final PHILosopher is simple: Keep your friends close to you and don’t let them drift apart. Don’t allow for life’s temporary highs to get in the way of what actually matters. Continue to strive for self-betterment, not selfdestruction.
As for myself, I still will be living in the Animal House next semester along with one of my other roommates. I plan on still having parties and keeping the house name, but it won’t be the same. The Animal House’s final call came, and now I’m just left with a hangover.
Phil Morehead is a senior studying health services administration and a columnist for The Post. Do you have roommate stories? Email him at pm189309@ohiou.edu.
