Peeing, College Dorm Life...and Ultrarunning

Ran across this gem in the local paper:

Wilson College fined 98 students $10 each when no one confessed to causing puddle of urine

Wilson College this spring received $980 after requiring all students living in a particular residence hall to pay a $10 fine when no one admitted to causing a puddle of urine found on a tiled floor. 

In an email to students announcing the fine for everyone if no one came forward, a college official said urine is a biohazard that requires professional clean-up and cannot simply be mopped up.

"I have no way of knowing if it was from an animal or person, however, someone needs to take responsibly for this ASAP. You have until Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. to let me know who is responsible or the entire residence hall will be fined," the email read.

In addition to saying urine is a biohazard, Sadowski told students "it is never appropriate for you or your animal to urinate on the floor," and added that they must clean up after themselves if they "ever lose bodily fluids in a public space." 

"So by leaving your bodily fluids in a public space, you are effectively closing the area until the next physical plant staff shift. This is generally highly inconvenient for both you and your fellow floormates."

No one came forward to claim responsibility for the mess, so all 98 students who lived in the building at the time were fined. According to the residence hall handbook, "In instances where the responsible party cannot be determined, entire communities may be held accountable through the fine system." 

I get it, the whole personal responsibility thing, and the levying of the fine was in accordance with the rules of residence hall life, but to say that "...urine is a biohazard that requires professional clean-up and cannot simply be mopped up" was a little over the top.

So if Mister Tristan (the 7 year old human being, not the blog) misses the toilet a bit and sprinkles the floor, I'd better call in that professional biohazard team.

A close second as the best quote in the article is this one, that "...it is never appropriate for you or your animal to urinate on the floor...they must clean up after themselves if they 'ever lose bodily fluids in a public space.' " 

I think the college administrator meant well, but as many of us often do, she went on a bit too long, forgetting one of the cardinal rules of effective communication: less is often more.

The link to Ultrarunning?  Most people don't think much about their urine, but Ultrarunners better.  The color and volume are good indicators of your hydration state, so in a sport where water in the backcountry is a serious thing, it matters whether you are peeing (no pee = not enough water intake).  The color also matters: think Sprite, not Mountain Dew, and if your urine tends towards the latter, again you have an indicator that you are behind on the water curve.

These rules of thumb continue after you get home.  I know that a post-run beer can taste mighty good, but better limit it to one until your urine is back to normal.  Otherwise you're setting yourself up for a raging dehydration headache, which is never fun.