Calling quirky into question

When you tell someone you attend Tufts, it is very likely that they will brand you as being “quirky” or a “hipster.” For several years, ambitious students have applied to Tufts to attend a prestigious school that’s a little off the beaten path and not too “mainstream.” Recently, however, sources say that some Tufts tour guides have been told not to use the word “quirky” while talking to new students. Many think this is because Tufts wants to attract more athletes and increase the general popularity, and endowment, of the school.

This information has not been -- and really can’t be -- officially verified, but it does spark a conversation about Tufts’ reputation as a “quirky” school and what that really means. Are Tufts students really as weird and wonderful as people say we are?

Tour guides paint Tufts as an oasis for off-beat (but still super-smart!) students -- freethinkers who play Quidditch between classes and spend their weekends guarding the cannon. For most Jumbos, this illusion fades quickly. While many students embrace their more unique qualities in areas such as art and music, and participate in niche organizations like the Cheese Club, just as many students spend most of their time playing sports, participating in Greek life and otherwise behaving in decidedly "mainstream" ways. (After all, that wasn't Mogwai performing "Die Young" at Spring Fling!)

Perhaps the administration is discouraging the "quirky" mantra simply because they've realized the originally cool identity has become…sort of a joke. Tufts gained nation-wide attention in 2013 when the Office of Admissions included the question, "What does #YOLO mean to you?" among its optional essay prompts. The prompt sparked both incredulity and scorn from writers, parents and students  who believed Tufts had gone just a little too far.

So, how should we face this news that the university intends to leave the "quirky" vibe behind? Some may believe the answer is clear: "We should hold on to our quirky identity!" After all, Jumbos are some of the most unique, clever and astonishing students in the country. At the same time, it might be a good time to accept that, in many ways, most of us are pretty, well, normal. And that's okay, too.