The UP Fair has been a circus of sorts where the air smells of sweet sweet smoke (dope heads!), good music (though what’s the point of bringing in pogi bands?) and human roadkill.

There are far too many ways of getting killed in the UP Fair grounds. For one, you could get mauled in the crowd, especially if it’s already filled with unscrupulous moshers (who aren’t UP students anyway). Next, you could be caught in the crossfire of warring fraternities. Or, a stampede happens, you get crushed.

Mobs suck. That’s why I hate being in a throng of people. People in crowds are no better than lemmings anyway.

Here’s a true story. About three (or is it four) years ago, as an undergrad, we used to hang out UP during fair week particularly during Valentine’s Day. The life of being in a bunch of unattached guys and girls who’d rather listen to rock music than smooch with someone on Valentine’s Day. (Losers!)

Anyway, that particular Valentine’s, we were hanging out at our tambayan listening at the concert from afar (which is quite audible within a 3 Km radius, so if it’s for the music you need not spend 100 bucks for it). Suddenly the music from the grounds stopped. Thinking technical failure, our sage-like manly friend, blurted “May namatay na!” (“Someone died!”). We just laughed about it then.

Then the next day, I got a text message from one of the bunch (whose mom worked with the University’s student affairs office) that someone really had died that night – victim of a random skirmish within the fair grounds. I literally fell out of bed then. I immediately called up Mr. Sage and a bunch of others who were there that night and we we’re all going “WTF!”

Still gives me the creeps when I recall that night.

Anyway, so it’s UP Fair week again, and I hope the tightened campus security would provide a safer fair grounds this year around. No one wants to die young.

Check out these other posts:

1. UP Fair skeds and stuff
2. Anna Nicole Smith dies before Juan Flavier
3. Loverage 3 aftermath: Condemning the jologs
4. Why Sanjun music store along Raon sucks
5. No more Mr. Nice Guy