Nobody Asked Us, But...
The Dead Week Fallacy
As George Carlin once inquired, what happened to all the zombies? This is the same thing that comes to mind during this time of the year when everybody starts pronouncing the coming of the infamous "Dead Week."
Why is there, every term, a need to acknowledge this week at all? Hallmark hasn't decided to capitalize on the concept of Dead Week greeting cards and memorabilia yet, so can't we ignore this supposed week-long holiday as well? Where do you suppose this college tradition came from? Who's dead? Are you dead? We're not dead. Is it related to the Mexican Dia de los Muertos?
According to rumor, the term originates from the idea that classes were not held, or at least no assignments were due during this last week before finals. Obviously, our professors long ago decided to buck this trend, and now we work as hard during this time - if not harder - as any other. Perhaps it could be attributed to the idea that local businesses will be short on customers because we are all locked into "study mode" in our respected homes.
Well, look around: Dead Week is actually a very busy time, with groups of students publicly huddled together around their steaming cups of caffeine sharing last minute tips, tricks and potential exam patterns. We are all actually quite active during Dead Week, probably more so than the rest of the term, because it is now or never. Fight or flight. Kill or be killed. Perhaps there is some relevance.
Anyway with no Hallmark potential, it is a lost cause. And as our friend George Carlin is duly noted for saying, "The problem with zombies is that they are unreliable." Not unlike our expectations of Dead Week.
Asks:
