Higher Learning

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Bef ore we begin...

Settle down. I got a questionI want to ask you all.

How many people came hereto change the world?

How many people came hereto learn how to make a lot of money?

Hey, we got an outreach program herewhere we really tap into the community.

What's the point?

Hey, listen, my f riends. You arethe few, the proud, the next...

...incoming f reshman classto Columbus University.

...unyieldina pursuitof academic ex cellence...

...one university standsout amonast the rest.:

Columbus University.

-What's up, Malik?-What's up, dog?

-Your mama got you some school gear.-Your mama let me use her credit card.

-Yeah, all right.-We'll see you.

Malik, what's wrong with you?

What?

This.

Why you always trying to showboat?How come you're not dressed?

My stomach was giving me trouble.

You think because you're a superstarrookie you don't have to work?

I got guys on this field who'll cleanyour clock in five seconds.

Who?

Get off my field.

It's like that?

That's how you made it.

Dig.

Dig.

Little off today, baby, huh?

-Hi.-Hi.

-I'm Kristen.-Monet.

We're roommates, huh?

Yep. I like this side of the room,but I guess you got here first.

Yeah, I guess I did.

So, where are you f rom?

-Orange County.-Orange County, huh?

-ls that near Compton?-No.

-You're not f rom around here, are you?-No.

It's near Disneyland.

You live near Disneyland?

-Must be nice.-lt has its moments.

Yeah!

Go!

This is crazy.

Come on, girls, let's go.

I am getting my ownapartment next semester.

These dorms are f or children.I hate them. God.

-Do you want to room with me?-Hell, yeah. My room's like this big.

What about you?Want to get an apartment together?

-I can't aff ord it.-No sweat. Get your parents to pay.

-They can't.-Why not?

My dad got laid offf rom McDonnell Douglas last year.

The IRS audited him. My parentscould barely aff ord to send me here.

-But you are here.-I'm here and I'm happy.

My roommate's a Mexican,I bet she got a scholarship.

Shut up. Well, here we are.

All right, come here, darling.

Drink! Drink! Drink!

-Theta Kappa!-Hey, Chad.

Well, well, what do we got here?New recruits f or our Little Sister rush?

No, no. Actually, I don'tknow about that.

-Ladies, this is Chad.-Hi, Chad.

-Hey.-And this is Nicole, okay?

And this is Claudia, right?

-And this is, uh...-Kristen.

Kristen. I'm sorry. They're f reshmen.

How do we become Little Sisters?

They probably make you drink beerout of condoms and wet your T-shirt.

Beer out of a condom...That's a new one. Write that down.

-I will.-No, we don't do that here.

But I'll tell you this. There's nobodyon this campus who parties like we do!

Yo!

Man, governmentsain't running things no more.

Financial institutions,they controlling the whole thing.

You ever hear of the World Bankor the IMF? No, huh?

Y'all probably don't even havechecking accounts.

But y'all got themcredit cards, huh?

Buy stuff out your meansand wonder why you still a slave.

Y'all better recognize,I'm telling you.

Dude, when are you gonna cleareveryone out? Classes start tomorrow.

-lt's over when it's over, dude.-" Dude."

I can't take this no more.

-Yo, man, watch my shoes.-You got a problem, man?

Security.

Security.

Look at this.

-What's up, kid?-They're playing their music, man.

Who?

These guys. I'm not trying to narc,but tomorrow's the first day of class.

I got physics in the morning.It's like f riggin' Soul Train up there.

You're here to study, not to party.Head home and hit those books.

Glad you had a good time.Come again on the weekend.

Good night. Okay.

People are trying to sleep.Give them a little respect, huh?

You don't hear that down the hall?

You ain't sweating them because they'replaying that hillbilly sh*t, right?

No, no. Because I dig rock 'n' roll.

Then roll your f at assdown the hall then.

That's that old bullshit.

Hey!

-Why are you walking alone?-I don't know.

It's not safe to walk aroundcampus by yourself at night.

I just left the Row 'cause my f riendswere drinking and acting crazy.

I just went my own way.

Some f riends.

Yeah.

Look at all these pretty blue lights.

You don't know whatthey're f or, do you?

No. Decoration?

No, it's the blue-light system.

See, there's a phoneat the end of every block.

That way you can call securityin case someone tries to grab you.

You're gonna haveto be caref ul out here.

Come on.

I just got here.Have you met anybody yet?

Yeah, I just met somebody.

My name's Taryn.

-Junior.-Kristen. Freshman.

Fresh-woman?

Yeah, I could tell.

Well, my first class is at 8:00.

-So...-Where's your dorm?

It's right here. Holland Hall.Real close.

-Thanks.-Sure. Oh, wait.

Here.

Students f or a Non-Sexist Society.

We have meetings Wednesdaysif you want to come by.

Okay. Thanks.

Oh, man.

Oh, man, I'm sorry.I didn't know you were here.

-lt's time f or us to talk.-About what?

About your side of the room.

What's wrong with it?

Look at it, man. It's filthy,it's f unky, it's stinking, man.

-What you do on that side affects me.-All right, I'll try.

Let's take a trip around the world.

Look there, under the statue.You see them people?

That's Disneyland.

And there's Chinatown.

And over there,that's south of the border.

And this right here is the black holebecause we're black f olks.

So, you Fudge, huh?I heard about you.

-What'd you hear about me?-I heard you were a super-duper senior.

Been here six yearsand still haven't graduated.

-She trying to play you out.-Why is that?

Because I done alreadylearned the game, f resh fish.

Is that right, old trout?

Yo.

Y'all some trained Negroes.

Soon as you hear a bell,y'all go running.

Welcome to the real world.

Or, as it states in your scheduleof courses, Political Science 101 .

I am your instructor.My name is Professor Maurice Phipps.

Today I am going to give you your firstlesson in politics. Are you ready?

Now, I shall need one volunteer.

Anyone?

No wonder this nation is f allingbehind the rest of the world.

No one in this classseems to have any initiative.

You, brave soul, come f orward.

-And what is your name, my good man?-Malik Williams, Professor Phipps, sir.

Malik Williams. Mr. Williams,would you be kind enough...

...to read the nameswith the asterisks beside them?

Those persons whose namesare called, please stand.

All right. " Marvin Anthony,Wendy Arrington, Tanya Arroyo...

...Chris Barlow, Skye Blue,Jennifer Bryant...

Pamela Burris, Eric Cannon,Kristen Connor, Judith Dantzig...

...Patsy Ewing, Mark Katz...

...Malik Williams." What?

Thank you, Mr. Williams.You have served your purpose.

What's that list f or, dog?

Those persons whose names werecalled and whom are standing...

...the university instructed me thatyour financial bill hasn't been paid.

Leave and settle your debts. Youmay not return until you have done so.

There are no handoutsin the f ree world...

...and, appropriately, none inmy course. Thank you and good day.

Sh*t.

Professor Phipps, I need this classf or my major. You know?

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