We mark Kayal and Company’s fourth anniversary and the start of year five before turning to college campuses. A Washington Post report on ketamine, kratom, fentanyl and other potent substances drives a long discussion about Cornell, fraternity parties, changing drug risks, parental concerns and how much responsibility universities carry for student safety.
We then move into reports of Gen Z freshmen leaving school only weeks after arriving and heading back home. Nick talks about his own difficult first semester away, the crew debates whether students need to endure discomfort rather than immediately retreat from it, and Dawn talks about the change from the pre-FaceTime college experience to an era when parents can stay connected to their children nearly every hour of the day.
The lighter back half starts with Jason Kelce accidentally calling the Washington Commanders by their former nickname during an NFL Network broadcast. We defend the mistake while admitting Kelce saturation is very real, then widen that conversation to celebrities and sports personalities who seem to appear everywhere.
