College Hill

I only saw the first segment. The one where the students meet each other for the first time. I know kids in the VI and kids from California, so I think I had an interesting perspective. The stateside kids were much more surprised than the VI kids. They seemed to have a difficult time understanding the "island talk". The island kids for the most part seemed to be more serious and better behaved.

I could see the potential for much need for acceptance from both sides. I am an older person, so the show held little interest for me. I was put off by the strong sexual tone that the hip hop show producers thought was entertaining. It's mostly junk, but it is good exposure for the islands.

I found it ugly and lowest common denominator. Our kids have so many pitiful examples of how to become an adult, that I wonder if there was really room for yet another one. The ratings would say, yes!
What a culturally impoverished view of the VI - what were the UVI Admin thinking?

I have seen the show a couple of times, and I do think that most (not all) reality TV exploits the lives of people who think 15 mins of fame is somehow an accomplishment. I agree that there is far too much of a sexual tone, but don't blame the producers because they are in it to make money and thats how there counterpart, The Real World on MTV has become so popular.

I also think that this season has opened peoples eyes to the fact that the USVI actually exist. I think many young people are ignorant to the fact that there is more than just Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the DR and Aruba in the Carribean. While I haven't surveyed the whole US, I feel that a lot of people don't even know what the Virgin Islands are, let alone the fact that they are part of the US.

So could it have been more tastefully done....YES
Was it a horrible idea and concept....I DON'T THINK SO

Never saw the show - then again I really don't watch TV lol - but when I tell people I'm moving to the VI they say "Oh, sweet wasn't that where college hill was this season?" lol

Well they say any attention is way better than none at all (or something like that) and if UVI hadn't been on College Hill I doubt people would know anything about it.

I've watched a few of the episodes. It is edited pretty much like every other reality show on TV. Fights, sex, crying, drama drama drama, calls home to family/sig. others, more crying, talking in the hot tub, more drama, crying, fighting, drama drama. It is very silly.

But I really did love the look on the one girl from California's face when Plaza didn't have her particular brand of chocolate. It seems that the stateside kids are a lot more "indulged" or "pampered" even though the wealth differences may not be that extreme. They are just not used to not having everything at their fingertips. And they seem to be angry at the VI for not being as indulgent of their whims (or anyone's every whim and desire for that matter) as the mainland. I think that is one of the main reasons why the two groups have segregated themselves from each other. The VI'ers don't particularly want to be constantly hounded by the Californians who keep insulting the island for the above reasons. Look through the drama and you can catch some really interesting subtleties between West Indian and American culture. Then again, my other who is a West Indian refuses to watch it (or any reality show) because it is too silly. Maybe that's reflective of our own difference in culture: refusal to be entertained by second rate silliness.

And a load of expatriated VI'ers I am friends with in the states watch it when they get the chance because it reminds them of home too.

I did not see the show - I do not watch reality t.v. If it isn't House, Monk, Psych, or The Closer (and MASH and Green Acres reruns), it just isn't on my list of things to do with my life.....however, on review of this thread, I think there are some interesting points to be picked up on in a generalized fashion.

JeN - "Seems the half of the house from LA and the half from the VI do not get along because the Californians forgot to bring an open mind with them when they decided to be on the show."

Maybe, maybe not - drama is the name of the game with reality t.v., what little I saw that made me hurl my Wheaties. Gotta agree with stxem on that one. Everyone can appear close-minded when unsure of their footing...

collegehill, "The stateside kids were much more surprised than the VI kids. They seemed to have a difficult time understanding the "island talk". The island kids for the most part seemed to be more serious and better behaved. "

The VI kids were on their own turf. What's to surprise? Do the flip-flop there and you might see something different. However, my point would be with regard to this remark - this is one of the subtleties of living on island - island talk is quite charming on a cruise and quite draining to some of us day after day - it is a dialect all its own, one that, while musical, doesn't really resonate with the "American" ear....not good, not bad - but people who are moving need to understand this CAN be a stumbling block. Unless you are downright rude or found the Island Scrooge, generally a very nice, "oops, can you slow down just a wee bit? So sorry, I'm learning!" will suffice and folks will attempt to make it easier......and much better to admit you're still learning that perhaps to take the spoken word the wrong way, no?

Vay - "I also think that this season has opened peoples eyes to the fact that the USVI actually exist. I think many young people are ignorant to the fact that there is more than just Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the DR and Aruba in the Caribbean. While I haven't surveyed the whole US, I feel that a lot of people don't even know what the Virgin Islands are, let alone the fact that they are part of the US."

Again, a great point....as discussed in other threads, some sellers won't ship to the VI - car lenders act like you're moving to Antarctica. I would bet that 70% of the people who knew we were moving to the USVI had heard of them, but only in the loosest terms - could not have said for sure where the islands were at, and NO ONE had heard of St. Croix....after we told one person, he consistently referred to it as St. Roy.

STXEM makes another good point - the girl from California being puzzled about her brand of chocolate not being available...."And they seem to be angry at the VI for not being as indulgent of their whims (or anyone's every whim and desire for that matter) as the mainland." Again, I did not see this show.....however, I will admit to a certain amount of puzzlement myself as a grown woman - veggies and fruits I didn't recognize and had no idea what to do with and NOT anger, but mere frustration and not being able to pick up everything for my favorite recipes because it simply was not available. Put the island kids in Napa Valley where they have no access to the foods and ingredients they are used to for their native palates and see what happens.....frustration that comes off as anger....it's just trying to make your way in a different culture.....which is what this board is trying to pound out. The California kids found out it was different, although I doubt they were trying to make cheese grits.....it's easier to giggle about kids being annoyed over chocolate than to recognize this could affect your life as an adult moving to the VI. It's cute for a while, and then you really start looking for the fresh cherries to make your cherries jubilee from - and they ain't coming in, so get over it now - I'm not sure that is being spoiled or pampered, that is just being raised where there is what you were raised on. Try and find breadfruit in Arkansas - good luck, island locals....so now what? Hmmm....you're frustrated and it comes off as anger. Easy to confuse the two. I think anyone transplanted from one region to another has moments of total confusion. I have a friend in Texas who talks about moving to Delaware and not being able to find hard yellow Cheddar cheese - it was hard WHITE cheddar and she was confused and felt like her whole recipe was "off" due to a color change!

I think the posters are right - this is drama personified - but you have to look deeper than the wailing and gnashing of teeth to catch the cultural differences - still, probably a good look-see for those considering a move to the islands. The subtleties sometimes aren't quite so subtle once you plant your feet in the sand.

2 cents!

I grew up watching Real World on MTV and College Hill is pretty much the BET version of that show. The format is pretty simple, get 8 young kids together in a house and provide them with plenty of booze, have the producers stir things up a bit and then film the drama as it unfolds.
Nobody would want to watch 8 kids hanging out, studying hard and having a normal life so the producers do all they can casting kids with personalities they know will clash and couples that will most likely hook up on the show.

These programs stopped being reality shows years ago. The kids have grown up in the reality t.v. world so they know the deal and the exploit their 15 seconds of fame to the up most.

Bottom line is it should not be taken too seriously. It is just entertainment.

Ever stop to think there might be a bit of scripting even tho' it is a "reality' show. Select the ditz and ask her if she likes a certain chocolate and then take the cameras out when she looks and can't find.

i've never seen the show. Question are the stateside kids black or white?? Just curious.

Everyone on college hill is black. While I must admit I don't know much about the show I do know that it is usually held at black colleges every year.

Scripted or not, its definitely targeted towards teenagers. I do agree that the producers probably find a way to get the reaction they want.

But to be honest the show does not make very much sense. After watching one episode I was so confused and the way they edited it made no sense at all. It seems as though they want it to appear that the Cali people are facing culture shock and are editing it in every way possible to attain that, but yet there is no real explanation why the house is torn.

I think this show is stupid but on the other hand good exposure (if that's what the VI was looking for)

I have to stick to my post - 'entertainment' needn't be bottom of the barrel - and if this is the exposure that the VI wants - oh well!!

Promoguy,
All the kids are black. I'm watching right now for the frst time. No racial sereo typing that I can tell. After 10 min. I see that The LA kids are shallow, superficial, materialistic. Just like Paris Hilton. The Island kids seem more grounded and realistic. Only watching for the background seanery. They went to Cokie. I'll be there in 3 weeks. I can't watch anymore. It's making me crazy seeing STT with my trip (PMV#6) comingup so soon.

well spoken Becky R!

Hello Jen,

Here is an article about it that you might find interesting: http://www.blackcollegewire.org/news/070423_college-hill-vi/.

--Islander

""While it is still too early to determine the full impact of the series, it has become necessary to address the unintended consequences that has arisen early in this initiative...." —Laverne Ragster, president, University of the Virgin Islands.

There have been numerous posts on this board of late correcting the grammar and spelling of posters. Since the president of the university and her staff are unable to draft a short and simple response to the College Hill controversy without including a grammatical error, perhaps it is unreasonable to expect local youth to be able to string words together grammatically correctly.

"And my concern, David, is several."—G.W. Bush speaking to David Gregory, Washington, D.C., April 3, 2007

If the US president cannot form a grammatically correct sentence, why should there be any expectation for Americans to speak or write well?

Edited for grammar.

Yeah, I guess we will be better of taking cues from our inarticulate president.

stxem,
you beat me to it:).

I don't care when board posters make grammar and spelling errors and I think we all know Bush isn't an intellectual but I would've thought an academic would have learned how to string words together grammatically correctly and would apply that ability when issuing a formal stance to the media.

thanks, islander! I hadn't kept up with this thread and just saw this. I thought that article was very interesting and projected solid points for both sides.

Perhaps it's just me, but this strikes me as exactly the sort of grammatical "error" that some word processing programs "correct" - which is to say, the program changes the actual (and correct) verb to an incorrect one. Granted, it's up to the user to catch the "correction", but my money is on the fact that the "grammar check" is the culprit. I've had it happen to me.

dnt: "...I think we all know Bush isn't an intellectual..."

That made me laugh 🙂

Back to the subject; I think this is good exposure for the USVI. People will be people, and in this type of show, these kids are like the kids in other similar shows, so I do not think these episodes are "bad publicity."

I have run into so many people that have no idea what or where the USVI is, so I think this will bring good attention.

I have been a college professor for fifteen years. As a member of the faculty, I often meet with prospective students and their parents. Students also visit classes. We always strive to promote what is positive and good about our institution, while being realistic about the disadvantages of a small campus with limited resources.

I also have two children with whom I went through the process of visiting several colleges before this important decision was made.

During my last visit to the USVI, the controversey over the University's participation occurred. The university President felt at the time that this show will boost applications and therefore enrollment
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By accident, I came across "College Hill" just the other day. The episode consisted of students feuding (no hint of going to class at all). The dialog was so full of the "F" word that the episode was pretty much one long bleep.
Two female students got into a violent fistfight, such that one was bleeding very heavily as the other had to be dragged away from her by some other students. Others , though, looked as if they just wanted to get in on the fight.

I cannot imagine *any* academic institution being portrayed in a more negative light.
It was just disgusting. I would ask anyone to view that episode, sit down and write a tuition check to the University of the Virgin Islands. Whatever they were trying to accomplish by participating in this show has sedt their efforts back interminably----unless you want your daughter to be a #%*&##***!!!!! $$$##@@@@ fistfight champ.

Dear Captain Vic, thank you for the post of reason.
I found the behavior of the participants to be without dignity, pride or grace. I think that by allowing the students to participate in this show, the UVI has placed itself firmly in the lowest class of academic institution.
Would I send my child there. No, I would not and nor would most of the parents that I know.
Ragster has condoned the violent and disgraceful behavior portrayed on the show and I question her thought process if she truly believed that this salacious muck would increase enrollment. Not of any students that I would want in my school.
People will be people...that is very true and we can see exactly what people will become without standards and guidance by watching this show and others of its ilk. I do not believe that the majority of Virgin Islanders wish their young people to emulate these poor role models.
Expel the violent students, expel the drinkers and you may have an institute worth attending.

I wasn't aware the show had that much violence. That is bad and should not be condoned. It the fight happened on school grounds, then the administration should take the appropriate action. But if the fight happened off campus, then it becomes a personal matter which the school is not responsible for.

But the drinking? Come on. If you expelled every college student from college because they got drunk once or go out to parties on the weekends, you wouldn't have a whole lot of college students left. As far as I know, all the participants were over 18, and legally able to drink alcohol. If its legal and not expressly prohibited by the institution, there is absolutely no "legal" reason to expel them on those grounds. College students drink. They drink at Ivy leagues, they drink at football schools. That's reality in the Vi and on the mainland.