Daily Columnist

Is it just me or is the “largest student-run celebration in the country” not really about or for students anymore?

While some people may not want to believe that making Veishea dry has had that big of an impact, it really has.

As sad as it is to say, Veishea really is dying because it is dry. What used to be the biggest event of the year for students and is now just a good excuse to go home and do laundry.

Logically, there is nothing wrong with saying, for one weekend, nobody drinks. Let’s face it: Everyone can go for one weekend without getting sloppy drunk. If you physically can’t, then there is probably an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting somewhere around town for you.

However, when you make such a dramatic change to an event like Veishea, things are going to change.

The death at Veishea in 1997 was very tragic. No one is disputing that. But that could have quite possibly had just as much to do with a few guys and their testosterone levels as it did with alcohol.

Saying that Veishea is now “dry” doesn’t mean that an incident like that could never happen again. People will always get in fights, and it doesn’t even have to be during Veishea.

This weekend, Iowa State looked almost as if it was the first week in May and all the students were leaving town for the summer. Except for the students who were directly involved with Veishea, it didn’t seem like many people stuck around.

There just isn’t a whole lot going on at Veishea anymore. Having a comedian and a concert are good steps for getting the actual ISU students involved. But some people aren’t really into those things.

Other than those two events, most of Veishea appeared to be geared towards families with children, and most students here don’t have either one of those things.

For example: the carnival. Even though I have issues with rides that are easily moved from one location to another, I went with some people to check it out. It was a good little carnival. I even won at Skee-Ball. While I did see other college-aged people there, the majority of the people I saw were high school age or younger.

The parade was also good. The people who were involved with it and put a lot of work into it did a great job. But again, the majority of the people around were families with kids. Just a note: The lower number of college students at the parade could be due to that fact that 11:30 a.m. is considered “early” in the morning to many college students.

As I walked down Welch Avenue early Saturday evening, it was really a sad sight. “Taste of Veishea” included some overpriced food stands, a stage with a small number of people gathered around, and one of those little rides that are like virtual roller coasters. That even cost $5 a ride.

I can only imagine what it was like at Veishea in the pre-dry era since I was never a student at Iowa State during one. I do know that it was an event that drew people from all over to Iowa State. I have also heard stories about Welch being packed with people just wanting to have a good time.

That is a lot different than what I have witnessed in my three years or Veishea. Welch no longer draws the crowds it used to. Sadly, it is probably mostly due to the no-alcohol policy. But that may not be it.

People felt more free back then. They could go out on Welch even if they were drinking and have a good time. Now people are so worried that, if they go on Welch and appear to be having too much fun, they might be picked up for “simulated public intoxication.”

And honestly, students living off campus who are of legal drinking age don’t want to be told they cannot drink — even if they didn’t necessarily plan on drinking in the first place. As adults, being told you can’t do something that you legally can do turns people off.

I don’t care one way or the other if people do or don’t want to drink during Veishea. It’s the people can’t go one weekend with out drinking who probably need a dry Veishea the most. However, if Veishea is going to continue in the new millennium, it probably shouldn’t be dry anymore.

Veishea needs to start appealing to the people it was meant to appeal to in the beginning. Having students around for the largest student-run celebration in the country, and second largest in the world, would be nice for a change.

By the way, does anyone know what the first largest student-run celebration in the world is? They never mention that when they talk about Veishea.

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Jenny Joanning is a junior in journalism and mass communication from Norwalk.