Orange is watching

While half-naked students ran through the streets for Chapman's Undie Run, Orange residents perched on their porches and pulled out their lawn chairs to enjoy the show.

The townies, as some students call them, come from their homes to watch the biannual event because it reminds them of the carefree days they experienced in their college years, said Orange resident Laura Gale, who has watched the run twice now.

Taking some pictures, enjoying a glass of wine and flashing flood lights at the runners is all a way of supporting this generation, Gale said.

"We were in college once too, so we know what it's like to blow off steam," Gale said. "We are just out here for the show, hanging out with friends and enjoying the reckless abandon."

However, some students, such as sophomore Amy Parrish, say the spectators can come off as overbearing when they are seen videotaping or photographing students running.

"I just don't want some creepy old man from Orange to be watching me and my friends in our underwear on repeat," Parrish said.

Junior Justin Benitez said the Orange residents are not threatening. Because of the number of police officers, nothing ever gets out of hand, he said.

"I guess it can be scary to think people are watching or taking pictures of you," Benitez said. "But I would think if people have chosen to run a mile through town in their underwear, they would be fairly comfortable with photos of it."

Gale, who watched the event with several friends during their Christmas party, said she and her friends come out not to scare students, but to get a reminder of what it is like to be in college.

"They're silly like our time," she said. "We got high fives, they danced in our spotlights and some girl did a pole dance on the light pole."

Sgt. Dan Adams, public information officer for Orange Police Department, said additional officers are staffed the night of Undie Run.

"I haven't ever heard of any unsafe conditions regarding the public observing the events," he said.

Junior Cole Christensen said it is understandable why the tradition attracts so much attention.

"Obviously it could be intimidating to girls walking home by themselves, but it's creepier to me when random people over the age of 30 run posing as Chapman students," he said.

The event, along with the viewing, is all just good, clean fun, Gale said.

"We are going to get woken up by the noise of the running and screaming anyways," Gale said. "We might as well watch."