One of the most frustrating things I have come to learn in my four years at the Daily Eastern News is that, despite our efforts, we cannot educate those who do not wish to be educated.

Why? Because some people would rather be willingly ignorant despite having things explained to them time and time again.

But, I’ll give it another go and hope that this time is different.

On Saturday, I and two other editors from the News did three ride-alongs with the Charleston Police Department and Charleston Fire Department. I rode with Lt. Brett Compton and Officer Brian Siefferman for both of mine.

I followed along with their shifts from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. and watched as they worked during Unofficial 2022.

I made the decision to cover Unofficial in this way because it would be a different and potentially more informative way to cover the parties.

After this weekend, I feel it is important that I dispel some rumors. Contrary to popular belief (and one hell of a rumor), I do not actually give orders to CPD.

I know some of you may be disappointed to find that out, but not as disappointed as I was. Here I was, thinking “wow, these guys really have to obey my every demand and shut down every party I want them to.” Imagine my surprise when I learned I actually had to just ride in the car and watch them do their job. (And yes, this is a joke, NOT to be taken seriously.)

Jokes aside, I had no control over what the police were responding to and how they decided to react.

That being said, those at the parties had the ability to choose their actions as the day went along, and with that, choose their potential consequences.

Over the weekend, 22 citations were given to some of those celebrating Unofficial. Those are the result of choices people made.

If you chose to publicly urinate in someone’s yard or walk around with an open container on public streets, you chose to do something that could potentially have consequences that you may not like.

That’s how life works.

Every choice we make has consequences, and whether they are negative or positive we have to be prepared to answer to those consequences.

Participating in Unofficial, you open yourself up to a lot — future (or current) employers seeing photos you or someone else posts of you, potential physical harm from people at the party (or from yourself depending on how intoxicated you get) and potentially getting ticketed and arrested if you violate city ordinances or laws.

With all of that in mind, you have to decide what you want to do. Do you want to take the risk and party on or stay home? I know I’ve chosen the party route plenty and would not fault anyone for doing the same. (Especially with the weather Saturday morning.)

And that leads to the bigger issue and something I have already discussed.

I chose to cover Unofficial because we always do. I have previously explained why I made that decision and I stand by it.

Though I try to explain the reasoning behind these choices when questions arise, I’ve aware I’m not working with logical people on this one, but while I won’t be spending any more time explaining my work to people who refuse to try to understand concepts that really are not all that complex, I will also not be tolerating threats to myself and my staff.

The posts are getting old and honestly weird. If you are really that obsessed with me and the choices I make for this newspaper, you are more than welcome to call me, email me or come in and speak to me to have a discussion. However, you are not welcome to say publicly that you are going to jump me or seek out my address.

I know y’all like to tussle, but I’m not like that. It’ll be charges and me getting my newly acquired police force on you before you land the first punch.

My best advice? Give it up.

I sleep peacefully every night while you sit up thinking about weird, offbeat things to say on an app that was intended for high schoolers. You’re obsessed with talking about someone who does not think about you.

Get help, touch grass, turn your phone off…I don’t know what the best option is, but choosing one and moving on with your life would serve you well.

Corryn Brock is a senior journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].