Every year there are countless films and songs written about the partying of the younger generation.
In 1999 “American Pie” hit theaters depicting the life of a group of high school students immersed in sex, drugs and alcohol.
“Old School,” released in 2003 showed “All of the fun of college, none of the education.”
In 2009, Rapper Asher Roth said, “I wanna go to college for the rest of my life,” and “Time isn’t wasted when you’re getting wasted.”
In 2011, the movie “Project X” was released in theaters and told the story of three nerdy high school students that became “legends” for throwing the most insane party of the year which included drugs, alcohol, nudity and vandalism.
The new viral movement of 2013 is a YouTube video series called “I’m Shmacked.” 20-year-old Arya Toufanian and 19-year-old Jeffrie Ray have put together a film crew that goes to colleges around the United States filming the party life of students.
What is being “Shmacked?” According to Urban Dictionary, the definition of being shmacked is becoming intoxicated to the point of not even being able to stand up, know what’s going on, or correctly pronounce a word.
The first I’m Shmacked video featured Temple University in 2011. The video captured students partying before a hip-hop concert in Philadelphia.
After the Temple video went viral Toufanian and Ray produced more videos. Soon enough the videos grew into a monumental popularity around college campuses.
Carlmont senior Jordan Kiss said, “I’ve seen a lot of I’m Shmacked videos and they have become really popular.”
Currently, I’m Shmacked has about 91,000 likes on Facebook, including likes from Carlmont students. I’m Shmacked also has hundreds of thousands of hits on YouTube.
The film crew has created around 100 videos of college partying at universities like Alabama, Michigan, Southern California, West Virginia, Arizona, New York, Texas, Tulane, Santa Barbara, Boston and many more.
Carlmont Associated Student Body member Jen Anthony said, “I don’t think I’m Shmacked videos accurately portray a whole college’s population.”
Every video includes countless clips of drinking, smoking, and questionable behavior. Though each video includes a disclaimer of, “no alcohol or illegal substances are used during filming, just props.”
Junior Sarah Anderson said, “I think I’m Shmacked videos make an accurate display of college life, and it would be naive for people to think college kids don’t drink.”
When asked about the videos by The New York Times, Toufanian said, “The videos are to raise awareness and display an accurate representation of the party life, while giving a taste of the campus and university at hand.”
The true question is whether “I’m Shmacked” videos influence the college decision process.
Toufanian said in The New York Times, “There has been some backlash…I try not to concern myself with it. It would be naive of a university to not have me on their campus…either way it is filling up the classrooms.”
Carlmont Junior Erica Aldanese is a fan of the videos and said, “They get me excited for college.”
In a recent poll Carlmont students were asked if “party culture influences what college they want to go to.” In response, 53 percent of students said yes, 32 percent said no, and 14 percent were unsure.
Carlmont Junior Toni Lupilin said, “I think I’m Shmacked videos are well known to some kids, and very persuading for the party scene, though many kids have never even heard of I’m Shmacked.”
