Overused at Hillsdale

Today in my Advanced Writing class with Hillsdale’s best professor, John J. Miller, we read George Orwell’s “All Art is Propaganda.” In it, Orwell tells writers to avoid “dying metaphors,” or in other words, clichés. Standing in line at Saga waiting to customize my burger, I couldn't stop thinking about this piece. Hillsdale College Students have an extreme amount of clichés that we have overused. So, people, let’s stop with the verbal garbage – come up with some more creative terms.

Here are some of the worst Hillsdale clichés:

1.     Fundy

Definition: This word comes from the term “fundamentalist.” The use of the word Fundy is a pejorative and implies someone is overly modest in dress, prudish, nerdy, and extremely temperate.

2.     Townie

Definition: A person from the city of Hillsdale. Synonymous with hick or redneck.

3.     It’s the People

Definition: The City of Hillsdale’s town motto. Hillsdale students use it in one of two ways: either 1) Hillsdale’s location sucks, but the students are excellent company or 2) The “townies” of Hillsdale are creepy and disgusting

Def 1:

Def 2:

4.     Donors

Definition: An old person on campus, though said person may or may not donate to the college. They are often blamed for CCAs, lack of parking, and lame commencement speakers.

5.     Hillsdate

Definition (stolen from Urban Dictionary): A relationship where a guy and a girl who like each other spend every waking moment together but refuse to admit or agree that they are dating.

6.     Greek System

Definition: Actually means the fraternities and sororities at Hillsdale. In the colloquial, however, “the Greek System” refers to loose morals, a lack of school spirit, and leggings as pants.

7.     Union Rat

Definition: Students who spend a majority of their free time on the sofas in the student union. Known for making out in public and stealing all the good spaces.

8.     Ring by Spring

Definition: See my post “First comes love, then comes marriage…”

9.     The Good, True, and Beautiful

Definition: The principles we are supposed to understand upon graduation. They come from Socrates or Plato or someone like that (I probably should have paid more attention in Constitution class). In all reality, the phrase is used by Hillsdale graduates trying to defend their liberal arts education and to justify their lack of job.

10. Virtus Tentamine Gaudet

Definition: After three years of Latin, I can firmly tell you that, despite popular opinion, Hillsdale’s motto does not mean, “Strength rejoices in the challenge.” It literally translates into manliness/virtue rejoices in the challenge. Anyway, students usually say the motto ironically.

Example:

Student A: I have a 10-page paper for Jackson, 5000 pages of reading for Gaetano, and 100 lines of Latin to translate. Not to mention there is 12 feet of snow surrounding my house.

Student B: Virtus Tentamine Gaudet!

The above definitions are not necessarily my opinion, nor do I assume that they are the opinion of everyone at Hillsdale. As you will notice, however, many of the definitions show the flippant or ironic attitudes we sometimes adopt while at Hillsdale. Maybe it’s time to abandon these words and recognize the inherent dignity of each person we encounter while in college. Although I challenge you, I expect every one of my readers to keep me accountable too. I give all of you full permission to smack me if you hear me say any of these words. I know it’s hard. These words are engrained into our vocabulary. But as they say, Virtus Tentamine Gaudet!