Drum banging time again

A group of students are outside banging on drums and yelling at the top of their voices:

"We are shoulder, we are the best! Shoulder! Shoulder! We are the best! Shoulder! Shoulder! Shoulder! We are the best!"

"Shoulder" is the name of the student union committee in question, rallying for their votes of confidence.

This is a fixture of campus life around this time of year. In my view, an exercise that is utterly pointless (only one committee is running), embarrassingly juvenille, pathetically uncreative..... and perfect waste of a glorious sunny, dry, clear, warm Tuesday afternoon.

Surely, there must be better ways to show their committment and dedication to the job that they are after, right? Shouting is a nuisance and attracts attention that can only be undesirable. Why not offer free foot massages or pedicures to fellow students whose favour they need to win over? Or stage a feat of great courage and daring (say, abseiling from the top of the library building) to demonstrate their ability to face challenges? And to show what fab parties they can throw, how about a spring roll eating competition with a hip hop cheerleading team PLUS B-52 shooters for the first 50 voters?

But they seem to be really into it. This shouting business. They seem to believe what they are doing is worthwhile and important. So who am I to argue? "It's all so subjective", as my students like to say.