Why the answer to your problems isn’t a Summer Ball
It’s no secret how lonely LSE can be. The Beaver has reported time and time again how mental health is a serious and insufficiently addressed problem on campus. It is because of this that I applaud anyone who tries to find ways to fix it. But the answer to our problems isn’t a Summer Ball.
Being an end of year event, it does little to ease the loneliness felt throughout the year; it does little to remedy the lack of a community spanning outside of LSELove; and it does little to tackle the cut-throat, career-focused culture that consumes our campus. If it’s just a room full of rich kids strutting in their designer suits and gowns for the sake of a few pics for Instagram, count me out. Change is going to need to be more substantial than that.
That being said, if all goes well, you’ll probably see me there. The plan for a Summer Ball isn’t a bad one. I like the occasional odd reason to get dressed up and drunk. However, with such a stir that this has caused on campus – from the massively popular petition to being a core policy proposal in the elections for GenSec last year – the idea seems to be that a Summer Ball would be akin to divine intervention: the key to uplifting our dismal student satisfaction ratings.
The LSE community can’t see one single event as the answer to our prayers. Many see LSE as a factory for creating cookie-cutter individuals for the City, forcing the pressure of internships and spring weeks down our necks. Because of this, it can be a cold environment in which to spend your early twenties, with insufficient care for students’ wellbeing and a lack of community feel. For me, I found my community at The Beaver, and others have found their haven elsewhere. But why are we pretending that this one event will be to everyone’s taste and that it will become one huge unifying moment for us all?
The road to implementing an LSE Summer Ball has been long fought and with good intentions. I am glad to see it finally being put in place. However, we can’t look at this one event and think that our problems will be fixed forever. LSE’s problems are more deeply entrenched than that.
Joe argues that as Keir Starmer’s centrist Labour loses its grip on the British left, a new wave of smaller parties and independents is reshaping what opposition and power could look like in 2029.
Lizzie confronts the “loser” label imposed by reunification of Germany and reclaims the complexity, pride and resilience behind women’s identity behind the Wall.
Jack explores the findings of a Freedom of Information request regarding how many LSE staff and students are disciplined when accused of sexual harassment
Why the answer to your problems isn’t a Summer Ball
It’s no secret how lonely LSE can be. The Beaver has reported time and time again how mental health is a serious and insufficiently addressed problem on campus. It is because of this that I applaud anyone who tries to find ways to fix it. But the answer to our problems isn’t a Summer Ball.
Being an end of year event, it does little to ease the loneliness felt throughout the year; it does little to remedy the lack of a community spanning outside of LSELove; and it does little to tackle the cut-throat, career-focused culture that consumes our campus. If it’s just a room full of rich kids strutting in their designer suits and gowns for the sake of a few pics for Instagram, count me out. Change is going to need to be more substantial than that.
That being said, if all goes well, you’ll probably see me there. The plan for a Summer Ball isn’t a bad one. I like the occasional odd reason to get dressed up and drunk. However, with such a stir that this has caused on campus – from the massively popular petition to being a core policy proposal in the elections for GenSec last year – the idea seems to be that a Summer Ball would be akin to divine intervention: the key to uplifting our dismal student satisfaction ratings.
The LSE community can’t see one single event as the answer to our prayers. Many see LSE as a factory for creating cookie-cutter individuals for the City, forcing the pressure of internships and spring weeks down our necks. Because of this, it can be a cold environment in which to spend your early twenties, with insufficient care for students’ wellbeing and a lack of community feel. For me, I found my community at The Beaver, and others have found their haven elsewhere. But why are we pretending that this one event will be to everyone’s taste and that it will become one huge unifying moment for us all?
The road to implementing an LSE Summer Ball has been long fought and with good intentions. I am glad to see it finally being put in place. However, we can’t look at this one event and think that our problems will be fixed forever. LSE’s problems are more deeply entrenched than that.
The Beaver
Share:
Related Posts
Do university rankings matter? And should they?
Tomas analyses the usefulness of university rankings: do they help or hinder university choice?
Inside LSE’s IR Department: Where Theory Meets the Real World
Shreya pinpoints what makes IR at LSE so unique compared to other universities.
The Fragmentation of British Politics
Joe argues that as Keir Starmer’s centrist Labour loses its grip on the British left, a new wave of smaller parties and independents is reshaping what opposition and power could look like in 2029.
East German Women – More Than Just the “Losers”
Lizzie confronts the “loser” label imposed by reunification of Germany and reclaims the complexity, pride and resilience behind women’s identity behind the Wall.
Exclusive investigation reveals no disciplinary action taken against any LSE staff after 202 total reports of misconduct on report + support
Jack explores the findings of a Freedom of Information request regarding how many LSE staff and students are disciplined when accused of sexual harassment