Stayin' Alive

Spring Break 2005

By Megan Sirras, Kimberly Manning
Staff Writers

Sunday, March 13th probably wasn’t too bad for most Claremont students.  We were off on Spring Break, relaxing and ignoring the piles of work waiting for us upon our return.  Unfortunately, for some Scripps women, their breaks were marred by harrowing, near-death experiences.

Sarah Young was hit by a car while jogging on 10th and Indian Hill on the 13th.   She sustained injuries to her head and leg and had to be flown by helicopter to the County USC Medical Center.  Due to a concussion, she has no recollection of when she was hit; she also can’t go into the dining hall because crowds disorient her.  Sarah was to be on crutches for six weeks, but unfortunately she injured her other leg and now is in a wheelchair. She had to move into emergency housing, and some of her classes have been moved to wheelchair accessible buildings.  She actually blames her college sweatshirt for the accident, saying, “I know it’s my responsibility as a runner to wear light clothing. This was the first time I’d ever run in my Scripps sweatshirt.”  Lesson learned:  Apparently Scripps attire makes you a target in the greater Claremont area. Oh wait, we already knew that- it’s why Scripps gives out those fancy rape whistles.

Mexico, always a favorite spring break destination, has taken its place among the ranks of spring break debacle locations this year.  While trying to pass a slow-moving RV on their return from Mexico, four Scripps students (including Hannah Alberts, Annie McShiras, and Al Fitch) flipped their car a full 360 degrees.  Luckily the vehicle landed upright and no one was seriously hurt, but the driver’s side panel was dented in and three tires were flattened.  The students were able to get towed to the next town to get their tires inflated, and made it all the way to Tijuana before getting another flat.  Unfortunately, they had to stop in a dark street and were accosted by ‘sketchy’ policemen.  The students were aggressive enough to make the cops leave before anything terrible happened-good ol’ Scripps training.

Apparently Scripps students were marked for death, rather than debauchery, this Spring Break.