Greetings, Booters and Paddlers! It’s that most special time of year again, that time when SLUdents from every walk of campus muster up their stoke and head to Titus Mountain (located in scenic Malone, New York) for an insane day of shredding, dancing, and day drinking. Titus, more than anything else, is complicated, involving more moving parts than a ski mountain’s worth of chair lifts. First and foremost, the Boot ‘N’ Paddle is a look inside the Outing Club. For this week, let’s clear up some classic and some new myths and misconceptions about Titus.

Myth 1: Titus is expensive because the OC wants to make money.

This is a common refrain heard around campus, likely due to the fact that Titus tickets occasionally go up in price year-to-year. However, none of the money made by Titus sales of tickets goes back to the members of the Outing Club: money made from ticket sales goes to Titus Mountain and money made from t-shirts goes to the Student Activities Office, where it returns to the OC budget to pay for the original cost of the shirts. The shirts are sold at a slightly higher price than the amount they were purchased for to provide tips for the Titus bus drivers and provide free shirts for Titus Mountain staff and event performers. A large part of the money goes to the bus company used to bring students to the event: this is expensive because the bus company is the only one close to Canton and as such has a monopoly for the area. Ticket prices fluctuate from year-to-year because Titus Mountain sets the price; when buying a Titus ticket, one is buying a pass to ski at the mountain. The rest of the money spent goes to performers and renting the lodge.

Myth 2: The money spent on Titus means SLU cannot spend money on something more worthwhile.

This myth is somewhat true: the money spent on Titus could be used for something else, including something deemed by members of the community to be more worthwhile. However, the money spent on Titus comes from the Student Activities budget, a subsection of tuition that all students pay specifically for. This is the same budget that provides for groups like the Green House, Club Hockey, and the Hill News. While Titus is certainly a noticeable amount of the budget, it does not take any opportunity away from other groups: there are thousands, if not tens of thousands (depending on the year), of dollars left in the Thelmo contingency fund that students can use for their budgets. This budget is set after all other pre-existing budgets are paid for, from the smallest club to the biggest. To use the contingency fund, students must put in a contingency request to Thelmo and present to the Senate for its approval; to expand their budget, student groups must put in their expansions with rationales for expansion. Generally, the budgets of every student organization increase every year.

Myth 3: This year’s ticket sales design was implemented to screw people over.

This year, the way in which tickets were sold was changed in hopes of better offering students a chance at tickets. After selling out in two days last year, the Office of Student Activities, Thelmo, and the OC worked to create a system that aimed to allow students who had class on one day the opportunity to buy tickets the next. Unfortunately, this led to the creation of massive lines that swallowed the Student Center. As of writing this, a system designed to eliminate these lines is being put in place.

Myth 4: Titus is the only thing to do on Titus Weekend.

While Titus is certainly a popular event, Titus Weekend, like any other weekend here at SLU, has a multitude of events put on by a variety of students and clubs all over campus. This week also marks Diversity and Inclusion Week, which includes a Thursday Laurentians in Residence LGBTQ Young Alumni Career Panel at 7:00 in the Hannon Room and a Writers’ Series at 8:00 in Sykes Common Room featuring Michelle Kuo. On Friday, there is a Noon in the Chapel Music for Black History Month in the Chapel at, well, noon; a body-positivity talk entitled “Kiss My Fat Ass: Taming the Unruly Body” at 2 in Noble 109, and the Islamic Culture Club is holding a Gala Fundraiser for Amal Women’s Center Boston at 7:30 in Eben Holden (if you would like to help out but cannot attend, returnable bottles and cans can be dropped off in the Student Center or at the Green House). On Saturday, The Barista and La Sociedad Hispana will be hosting a trivia contest in the Winston Room from 9-11pm. For the discerning partier, there will also be a Java concert at 8pm featuring the Minks and darties across campus throughout the day, including the fabled Anti-Titus.

If you’ve hung in this far, you deserve a reward (aside, of course, from the knowledge gained by reading this). 50 OC stickers have been hidden all over campus: they’re yours for the keeping. Good luck hunting and Happy Titus!