 "Photo: Courtesy of MCT Campus")
The game of Beirut, or as many of you non-history buffs like to call Beer Pong; require the physics that allow players to dominate the sport: perfect form; which creates perfect trajectory, which entails a deliciously soft touch, which ultimately can be concentrated to countless repetition, even under the highest pressure imaginable. We are all familiar with the game, or at least should be if we are legally permitted to.
The masterful art is highly competitive and highly contagious; literally. Do we even realize what we are drinking out of? Let’s paint a picture; one dominant team runs the table all night, impressively winning a dozen games in a row (there are some truly talented and god-like players at this University). They beat twelve different teams, twenty-four different competitors. Potentially, only one of those twenty-four players would have to be infected with the H1N1 virus for you to become the next victim (assuming you’re playing next).
Twenty-four different pairs of hands, twenty-four different sets of lips sharing in the same group of cups, twenty-four different people’s saliva (assuming that they haven’t shared that yet either). You are at risk, without even knowing it. It’s just one simple game right? No, that one game could force you to miss a week, if not more of classes, some of which you might have exams in.
Oh, what about the water cups? They’re not going to make a difference, not when each cup and ball isn’t rinsed and washed (water cup included) after every game played. Now, I’m not telling you not to play, it is a grand and essential game to any night with your friends. But rather, how can we be a little more intelligent about going about it? This is an opportunity we cannot overlook to help keep each other safe and proactive.
So what can we do to prolong the great game that separates the men from the boys, the great vs. the weak, and the accomplished college-social activists from the first-semester freshman nube?
Hand sanitizer indulged into your water cups? Maybe, or even soap and hot water is a better alternative than just plain water. The best protocol we can take is to probably bring our own cups.
How much do plastic cups cost? I recon you can pick up more than enough cups (please be sure that they are conforming and of regulation size) for your team for about $2. The choice is ultimately yours, but a few quarters worth of cups and a healthy next week seems like a much better alternative to me, than a week of suffering the unfortunate symptoms of the H1N1 virus.
Respect and enjoy the game, play by the house rules, and best of luck in winning my Beirut friends.
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