Rutgers Club DM: A Sea of Sweaty Bodies

In the beginning of the month, I attended a “welcome days” event for all new students, called Club DM. It was sponsored by Major Events and Programs, and hosted by the Dance Marathon group. Tickets were $10, which is smart, considering there is a huge number of freshmen who love to party and get that quintessential college experience. I, of course, being a good Nepali daughter, wanted to party, but without alcohol, which many other people can relate too, either by religion, race, or plain old strict parents. So, Club DM was the perfect compromise for people like us, and of course the traditional party-goers either pre-gamed, or went out afterwards, seeking to continue the party. My friend and I paid the $10 at the door for a night of nonstop dance. However, was it worth it? I’m still not entirely sure, and for another question, why is the “club” or “college experience” such a big deal with young people of every generation?

The only difference between a real club and Club DM, honestly, is the absence of alcohol and drugs being sold on the premise, at least that’s what I believe, because as I said, I am a good Nepali child and have never been to any sort of party before. I personally, I have never seen the point of going to any sort of college event. However, I decided to go to Club DM, because at some point, you just succumb to the “herd mentality”. The herd mentality, as defined by the article, is “a natural desire to be part of the ‘in crowd’ could damage our ability to make the right decisions.” Even someone like me, who was raised as a good Asian child, and likes to think of herself as someone who stands apart from the crowd, I still fall victim to this mentality.

And so do so many other people like me. Club DM was a perfect way to appease our curiosity of college life, without being overtly wild. It also was well put together, with an overtly energetic MC and alright DJs, although I wouldn’t say I am the best judge of DJs. The MC had high energy throughout the night, and really tried to be interactive with us. Of course that made the night more fun, but sometimes we just wanted to relax, and he would keep telling to get down, and then up, and then up and down and again and again or jump and keep jumping. After hours on hours of standing up and dancing, we were all tired and drenched in sweat. The videos below showcase some of the MC’s crazy energy.

The actual music was pretty entertaining. Of course there was standard Electro-Pop music being played, which isn’t bad for the masses who just want to party, however although I love a good “Freaks” and “Lone Digger” but I also have various areas of interest other than simple electronic pop. It lacked in a lot of music I find more entertaining, but to be fair it was meant to replicate any normal club, of course minus substances. It was a great time if you enjoy dancing to synthetic beats and noise. The DJ mixed Hispanic music into the playlist and well, that caused many to hoot and holler. BUT what I honestly enjoyed the most was just the feeling of the pounding bass line and overwhelming thudding of the stereos. I love to be “transported” by a media, either a good novel, good music, and a good movie or show. And the whole environment, of pounding drum beats, jumping feet, overloads your system, allowing you to just BE. The videos below allow you to experience it somewhat.

The one thing I absolutely hated however, was the fact there was so many people. And we all know how teenagers are. Let’s just be frank, they are horny and think they are all that. Unfortunate, I know. But it’s the way of life for my age group. We like to “escape” and have fun. At least in our own words. In the words of  Seth Schwartz:

“Risky behaviors are a form of identity exploration for some emerging adults who are looking to experiment with possible life paths and relationships, but these behaviors are often a mode of escape for young people who are unable to compete in an increasingly difficult and complex world.“

Today’s younger generations, the millennials and the Gen Z (you can learn more about them here) have an inherent need to escape our dismal reality. And that’s what a good party does. So, yes, there were people grinding on one another, enough to start a fire. I got smacked in the face with multiple ponytails and hair dripping in sweat. One of my other friends even got someone’s sweat into their eyes. EW! There were people trying to get onto the stage, and pushing towards to the front so the camera man can get their sweat dripped faces on the “Big Screen.” People were mosh-pitting, or at least trying to. Girls and boys alike were on top of each others shoulders, dancing, swinging around sweat-soaked shirts (see below video). There was so much body parts on body parts, and overall, it was a huge stew of disgusting teenage hormones, sweat, and hair. Lots and lots of hair…in my face…because I’m directly at hair height, or underarm height…BODY ODOR GALORE. Ahhh, fun times. People just letting loose and letting go of themselves into the music.

My first and most likely only live concert was not all bad. The music was fun, and it was a great escape from high school, parents, and old Asian rules, but a good balance, as it didn’t offer any substances. The MC however, made my legs numb by the end of night, with all the jumping and whatnot. The music wasn’t terrible, but for my experience, it was a lot of fun and I liked most of the music the DJ played. It was a huge sea of human bodies mixing and moving, losing themselves in the music. Especially when towards the end, we went back to “classics” like good old, “Party In the USA.” Which of course, made people go crazy. Club DM was a lot of fun, but I was dead tired the next day, and I had lost my voice almost completely. It was a great college experience, and way to “shed” our old high school selves and just live in the moment.