Friends pass around a marijuana cigarette while standing on Norlin Quad April 20, 2009. The university’s reputation for marijuana use prompted their recognition as GQ’s No. 10 “Douchiest College.” (CU Independent file/Lauren Walter)
Students at CU are taking issue with Gentleman’s Quarterly recent ranking of the university as the 10th “douchiest” college in America.
“The GQ rankings are an attempt to be amusing using stereotypes and sophomoric humor. That’s great for a magazine feature, but it is of no importance to CU-Boulder and is not worthy of a further response,” CU spokesman Bronson Hilliard said in reference to the article.
Matt Simon, a senior psychology major, said he wouldn’t necessarily disagree with the ranking, but added that it is a cliché that he felt didn’t represent the majority of the student population. Simon said he felt there was the same amount of “douche bags” at CU as one might find anywhere else.
“Components of the article touch accurate generalizations, but when you get at the core of any institution you find everyone is different,” Simon said. “With a student population of 30,000, CU is a mixing pot. Students just come here to enjoy all Boulder has to offer.”
When asked, students differed on the level to which they agreed with the ranking, but generally felt the sweeping statements included in the article were not representative of the student body as a whole and did not reflect the diversity on campus.
The most common traits of a “douche bag” identified by CU students were as follows: ill-mannered, self-absorbed, inconsiderate, obnoxious, arrogant and conceited. None of these were listed as traits of the “Kind-Bud Douche” in the GQ article.
Freshman engineering major Connor Montross said he felt the description given by GQ didn’t make any sense.
“People are caring on campus, and are trying to realize and become more aware of environmental problems,” Montross said.
Other students said they could find the reality in GQ’s verdict.
“I think it’s an accurate description as a generalization,” said Elizabeth Papera, a sophomore pre-communication major, “if you don’t actually get to meet the people.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Maria DiManna at Maria.DiManna@colorado.edu.
