Former FYSOP Volunteers Don't Have Beat

COMMONWEALTH AVENUE—In recent years, an increasingly large number of new BU students have joined with BU’s Community Service Center to participate in the First Year Student Outreach Project, or FYSOP. FYSOP is well recognized by its fans and participants as an end-of-Summer holiday: a group-building week of community service, ice breakers, cheering and dancing. Students leave FYSOP with strong friendships and stronger dance moves. However, unusual circumstances have been reported around campus in the past few days.This week, Bunion reporters received a tip from a participant in this year’s FYSOP, Frank Wenger (CAS ‘16). Frank claims he witnessed something alarming on his way to class Tuesday morning. “I was walking to class in CAS when I ran into Sheena, my FYSOP staff leader. She was great at cheering and dancing during FYSOP. But when I saw her walking down the street, it didn’t look like she had a beat,” Frank says, pausing briefly before continuing. “My friends had said she didn’t have one anymore, but I guess I just wasn’t ready to believe them.”This phenomena is more common than you may think. The staff of the Community Service Center have called it PFLOBS, or Post-FYSOP Lack Of Beat Syndrome. Symptoms include lack of stomping, grinding, pony-riding, or any other signs of enthusiasm. If you believe you may be showing signs of PFLOBS, the CSC staff recommends a visit to Student Health Services, where health practitioners may refer you to one of Boston’s local dance clubs, such as Rise or Machine.“I just hope Sheena gets her beat back,” Frank added. “I don’t know what I would do without mine.” Bunion reporters asked Frank to show them how he gets down at the conclusion of the interview, but he declined. We have made a second inquiry but there has been no response yet at the time of writing.