Seventeen DCs from one weekend makes us question the place of drugs and alcohol on this campus. As Phillips Academy students, can we afford to make the same mistakes as typical high school students? Or by coming here can we reasonably be expected to transcend the usual pitfalls of adolescence? Obviously the Blue Book prohibits substance use on campus, but the crux of the matter is whether or not Andover students can be expected to actually hold themselves to this ideal. The nuances of this situation are too complex for this Editorial Board to entirely reconcile amongst ourselves. To a certain extent, we can safely say that what you do at home on your own time is none of the school’s business, and certainly none of ours. But the price of prestige is costly. At this point in the year, the tolls these sacrifices have taken are clearly visible in the eyes of every student, from the outgoing Seniors to the rising Lowers. Many of us have given up elements typical of a normal teenager’s life- sleep and in the case of our school’s approximately 800 boarding students, the comforts of living at home. But we all were chosen to be here over thousands of other applicants, many of whom would be thrilled to come here should a spot open up. We have all made a committment to this school and, whether we’re happy about it or not, agreed to abide by its rules. Andover is not a normal school, and we are not normal students. Of course, we won’t ask you to abstain from drugs and alcohol the next time you find yourself with the opportunity to use them. But never forget that with that first bottle of beer you could be washing away so much more. This editorial represents the views of The Phillipian Editorial Board CXXXII.
