Students getting drunk and doing stupid things is a tale as old as time. Teetering on the fine line between funny and childish, they can usually be trusted to adhere to the adult norms that the rest of society works with. However, when young people overstep the mark, especially when this takes place within a place like Cambridge, it takes on a more malicious overtone when considered in the context of their environment and upbringing. Corpus Christi students leaving faeces and vomit on the floor of bathrooms and corridors for housekeeping staff to clean up is not just immature behaviour; it stinks of the classism that pervades this university.

"Irresponsible drinking coupled with the paraphernalia of privilege seems to break down all inhibitions and encourage the expression of classist contempt"

Most likely, if you drink, you’ve had the experience of taking it a bit too far before a night out and being put to bed by your friends, something people tend to grow out of as they become more experienced with drinking. In contrast, defecating on the floor for others to clean up is something people stop doing by the time they are four years old, not going on twenty. This is so shocking partly because of the stark contrast between the action and the situation. These students, who are supposedly grown adults and attend one of the top universities in the world, came from a black-tie formal where they dressed up in suits, dresses, and gowns and are part of a college steeped in wealth and privilege. This is not ignorance; it is a worrying immaturity, a blatant display of contempt, and a unique demonstration of privilege.

In isolation, this seems like a bewildering instance of classism. However, it only takes a few quick Google searches to realise that this is simply the latest in a long string of incidents, indicating that such actions are symptomatic of a wider culture problem in the university. Irresponsible drinking coupled with the paraphernalia of privilege (the dress codes, the architecture, the fact that students are served by college staff) seems to break down all inhibitions and encourage the expression of classist contempt that is at the heart of all incidents like what took place at Corpus. But how does the student body and university staff tackle systemic issues like this?

"Like the real world, this should not be a place of impervious protection from the consequences of one’s stupidity"

To be honest, you do the exact opposite of what took place in response to the Corpus incident. Students were temporarily banned from attending formals and bops, the JCR wrote a letter of apology to the cleaners, and ensured that the “Chunder Blunder Funder” paid £200 towards the cost of cleaning. This fund apparently “exists for scenarios like this to compensate cleaning staff”. The fact that the college JCR needs a dedicated fund to throw money at incidents like this speaks volumes. If you’ve watched The Riot Club, and remember the scene at Chris’s pub, this will sound disgustingly familiar. Individuals who abuse their positions of privilege should be held directly responsible, and quite frankly I am amazed that the college (and university) is not making it top priority to look after their staff, and not putting more of an effort into dispelling stereotypes about the student environment in Cambridge.

Is this representative of every undergraduate student and of Cambridge as a whole? No. Does it add fuel to the cliches? Absolutely. These incidents, and the people who perpetrate them, are the exceptions that prove the rule. The legacy of classism is still hovering beneath the genial surface of this university, a stain on its reputation that Cambridge tries to close the lid on rather than expose and cleanse.

Combatting this starts with direct responsibility for actions committed. Like the real world, this should not be a place of impervious protection from the consequences of one’s stupidity and I can guarantee that once a student cleans up their mess with their own hands, they would be significantly less inclined to do it again. However, whilst satisfying to think about, this would not address the wider issues manifested here. Yes, it starts with direct punishment, to cure people of stupidity, but also focusing on the prevention of the birth and growth of classist ideas within student culture here at Cambridge. This should be an academically, not socially, elite university. We have a long way to go before we fix the attitudes that are the cause of incidents in the first place.

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