Eggs, flour and beans: petty vandalism is just petty

0

The University of Exeter’s season of petty vandalism has taken some interesting twists in recent weeks. Exeter has always had food wars- the most famous being eggings in campus accommodation- but these classic first year rituals have since moved to the second year territory of Pennsylvania.

What clearly began with students throwing beans at their mate’s houses during socials has got out of hand, with many Overheard posts declaring they’ll be reporting these crimes to the police. But it’s the curse of the beaned that truly baffles me. After experiencing a touch of petty vandalism, the victims take their experiences to the University of Exeter’s Overheard forum on Facebook where they (often anonymously) share the traumatic experience of having their front door ruined by a can of Asda baked beans.

“In most instances, this is all for a laugh, with the culprits usually being in close social circles to the perpetrators. But what happens if you get the wrong door?”

In most instances, this is all for a laugh, with the culprits usually being in close social circles to the perpetrators. But what happens if you get the wrong door? I don’t think a local would be best pleased to find a pot of salsa, some tzatziki and a sprinkling of flour waiting on their doorstep. Beaning is genuinely becoming a cause for concern. In a recent instance, the victims of a wrecked front door took to Overheard to identify the people who vandalised their house, threatening legal action if they didn’t come forward. They shared how they couldn’t even close their front door and how the damaged risked them losing their deposit, which (in Exeter) could be upwards of £600 each.

In the comments below the post, the housemates address their irritation at anonymous commenting, and highlight their serious intention of going to the police for CCTV footage. But students just aren’t getting it, with many viewing this as even better content for their late Overheard scroll. One post on Overheard directly addressed the issue of anonymity on Facebook groups, stating: “I think it’s time we put a stop to this silly and excessive anonymous posting business”, followed by “if you won’t put your name to it, don’t put it on the internet”. These words run particularly true considering many posts contain detailed information about the location of the doors, and the names of individuals who live in the affected houses.

“This ongoing behaviour is clearly the work of bored, overprivileged students who are doing wonders in further denting the already rusty relationship between students and locals.”

I would urge not turning to social media to unnecessarily share private information, especially if the damage was minuscule. It is beginning to become a safety risk, especially as the page has over 42.4 thousand members, many of whom are no longer university students. This ongoing behaviour is clearly the work of bored, overprivileged students who are doing wonders in further denting the already rusty relationship between students and locals. But is it all worth it for the Overheard entertainment? I’d argue no, but I bet the 1.3 thousand members active on the site on a Wednesday evening would beg to differ.