The female Jumbo likes to be tan. In September or May, you will spot her sprawled out on a beach towel just a few feet from Tisch, trying to soak up whatever rays might have made it all the way to Medford, Mass.
But what good is that radiant glow if her fellow Jumbos can only admire it two months a year? Enter tanning salons like Xtreme Tanning in Davis Square: instant sun just a Joey ride away.
With fall in full swing, many Tufts students are gearing up for their regular visits to Xtreme Tanning. Senior Susan Linn goes to maintain the complexion she's used to. "I live on the beach at home, so I'm outside all summer," Linn said. "You can call it seasonal affective disorder; I just like being tan."
Sophomore Amy Rabinowitz thinks all Jumbos should embrace the ritual. "Everyone looks better with a tan. You look healthier; you have a glow to you," she said.
According to David Vanecia, co-owner of Xtreme Tanning, Tufts students make up about half of the salon's customers during the academic year. "For Tufts being a small school, we get a lot of them," he said.
A "basic tan" costs $7.99, Valencia said, while a "faster, safer, and longer-lasting" tan costs $22.99. Xtreme's more expensive tanning beds "use a lower percentage of the burning ray and a higher percentage of the tanning ray," Vanecia said, claiming that they make for a healthier tanning experience.
Even with reduced-risk tanning options, some Tufts students have chosen to quit the practice altogether. "I probably won't go tanning in one of the tanning beds again, because of the dangers and potential health risks," junior Whitney Arthofer said.
According to her male counterparts, Arthofer may be making the right choice. Girls who spend time under artificial rays "have their priorities set in the wrong place," senior Jeff Vanderkruik said.
Freshman Chris Follen drew an even stronger conclusion about the salon tanner: "She doesn't respect herself," he said.
But how to respond to an "Xtreme tanner"? Junior Steve Wise recommended mild intervention: "I'll try to talk to her, because it's really bad for you. I'll try to talk some sense into her," he said.
Junior Stephen Blaker offered an alternative rationale if the risk of skin cancer doesn't register with the tanner: "If you're in Boston, it's O.K. to not be tan. It's irregular to be tan here," Blaker said.
But loyal customers of Xtreme Tanning like their year-round glow too much to budge. Some admit to ignoring the potential hazards. "I guess I'm young enough not to feel the repercussions," Linn said.
Linn also expressed the sentiment that tanning rituals and risks can happily coexist. "Nothing tends to be so horribly harmful in moderation," she said. "Just don't do anything in excess - excess is bad for you."
Vanecia is quick to defend his customers. "Some of the larger medical institutions have said the benefits of moderate sun exposure outweigh the risks," he said. According to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, moderate UVB ray exposure is vital to proper Vitamin D levels, and light hitting the skin - not just the eyes - may help to combat seasonal affective disorder. Still, a definite link between UVA and UVB exposure and skin cancer exists.
The most surprising piece of information Vanecia had to share? Gentlemen Jumbos want their share of ultraviolet light, too. "We get some of the guys on the hockey team - they try to keep it quiet," he said. "But the majority of our customers love being seen."
