<p>the real concern is race relations and rising crime...</p>
<p>You know, in the winter, it is very cold and snowy in New England too (affects Brown, Yale, Harvard, MIT, for example).</p>
<p>The common sense one would use in any city isn't even required in downtown Ithaca. You could walk around naked with $100 bills taped to your chest after dark and nothing would happen to you.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the comments. I should have addressed this topic on the parents forum.</p>
<p>No. Trust us. It was much more fun over here.</p>
<p>Ptbcath - it's not too bad if you get pass all the bantering. There was a long thread a while back started by a parent about what a slum Ithaca is. You are just getting a bit of windfall.</p>
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There was a long thread a while back started by a parent about what a slum Ithaca is.
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<p>I would still love to know what they considered Utica. Ithaca is a Garden of Eden.</p>
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<p>OMg, this made me laugh so hard!!!! hahaha, that's awesome! Obviously I doubt that's true, but wow, I imagined that to be one of the most interesting things that could every happen to someone!</p>
<p>but in all seriousness LSD is bad. Don't do drugs. M'kay?</p>
<p>you'd figure hippies might settle now that their democratic deities are in power right?!</p>
<p>Ptbcath -</p>
<p>I'm really confused. Could you please explain, precisely, the correlation between "hippies" and danger? </p>
<p>Downtown Ithaca is perhaps one of the most enlightened, peaceful environments a human will ever encounter. I mean, Buddhist monks who haven't had their genetalia burned by oppressive regimes live there! </p>
<p>I'm seriously just confused by your question.</p>
<p>their democratic deities aren't legalizing recreational drugs anytime soon, are they? hippies will always find something to complain about...</p>
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but in all seriousness LSD is bad. Don't do drugs. M'kay?
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<p>Drugs are bad kids...mmmkay??</p>
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I would still love to know what they considered Utica
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<p>Utica is such an awesome place...what are you talking about???</p>
<p>hahaha....jk jk...I had an evening swim meet in Utica during my senior year and the crowd was special (to put it nicely)...my HS never had a swim meet there again.</p>
<p>im sick of people whining about their being possible crime somewhere. Crime is everywhere, if the fact that someone was raped near Yale or Harvard or Cornell is discouraging you from that college, then good luck finding a college. **** happens everywhere, Ithaca has its crime just like the sleepy suburb, its no NYC or LA but stuff happens.</p>
<p>I've heard that Utica has some fantastic red sauce Italian joints. But I've never actually stopped for all the times I've driven by. Anyone know?</p>
<p>^^Cayuga...my boss is from Utica...I'll ask him and get back to you.</p>
<p>Ha!</p>
<p>Downtown Ithaca is nothing to be afraid of. Yes, there are hippies. Yes, there are lots of people who smoke pot. Yes, there are alleys that you probably don't want to go down alone if you're a young female. And yes, you probably don't want to hang out there at night...But for real, as much as those negatives are...There are great positives. Ithaca has great little festivals like the apple harvest festival in the fall, the chili cook off in Feb, Rock the Arts (high school arts fest, it's great), the Ithaca Festival...And those things are so family oriented and great! Downtown is a good time. </p>
<p>And just to put some perspective on things, my parents are pretty protective of me, and I've been allowed to hang out on the Commons (downtown) since I was like 14.</p>
<p>^
Don't want to go there at night? I can't imagine why not.<br>
I can't even think of any alleys that would be particularly dangerous.</p>
<p>Then again, I've lived in Detroit and DC, so Ithaca strikes me as a quaint little village.</p>
<p>I read that they are opening an urban outfitters downtown! Darn a year after I graduate!</p>
<p>PS I used to go downtown and to the commons probably 2 or 3 times a semester by myself to go shopping or just to walk around when I needed to get away from books and studying. I felt completely safe.</p>
<p>applejack - By 'at night' I meant late...And the main reason for that is if you look at all sketchy, you'll be pegged as a druggie/dealer, and most people don't want that. As you know, downtown Ithaca is a haven for druggies. And as for alleys...I know a girl who got raped in one of them, that's why I'm a bit wary.</p>
<p>There's really no reason to go downtown at night by yourself anyway. If you want to go shopping downtown in the commons during the day or head down there for dinner with friends at night, then I don't see how there could be any problems and it's not something I ever had to worry about. You probably shouldn't be walking in a dark alley by yourself at midnight anywhere...</p>