<p>I would not hesitate to buy outside the heavily student areas which would mean anything east of the Capitol on quiet streets (Exclu Johnson which is busy and has lots of students), south of Chandler, and anywhere on the west side of campus except Breese Terrace. </p>
<p>Had it coming is a harsh term. Reasonable expectation would be my term. Had it coming implies some directed intent. I don’t think there is much intent to take things out on nearby properties. Stuff just happens. Perhaps a fence is in order. </p>
<p>Students are impacted-yes and many come to UW BECAUSE of the social scene–probably FAR more than are troubled by it. There was a reason 80,000 used to come to Halloween including about 90% of UW undergrads. It was an Event–one that people remember long after college.</p>
<p>Here’s a little behind the scenes look at UW party night (never a school night)</p>
<p>No, “stuff doesn’t have to happen.” I note that there are plenty of excellent colleges where the neighbors don’t have to worry about these types of things, and in which the impact of the students is limited to crowded streets on move-in or graduation weekends and maybe the occasional inconvenience (like a homecoming parade). </p>
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<p>Well, so what? The fact that students may like those kinds of social scenes doesn’t excuse the behavior of impacting the community so negatively.</p>
<p>MOst people in Madison would say that the positives of having the UW around FAR outway the minor negatives as so few of them even see any of it. Most would say it’s the best thing about the city and a big reason they live there. Now if you want real complaints from local citizens you could cite the recent influx of poor and mostly minority people who have come to town and created significant problems in the formerly rock solid schools and also started mugging students in the downtown area. Things that were virtually unheard of 20 years ago.</p>
<p>And where are these mythical quiet respectful schools with 40,000 students?? I have been to most of them and they are pretty similar on any weekend night unless it’s a mostly commuter school. I have watched all epiosed of Campus PD and they find plenty of partiers at every school they show–none of which are UW.</p>
<p>Yes, and I think they all need to get a clue. Bing drinking your way through college is really immature. Especially at the price of a college education these days.</p>
<p>It might be “immature” but for many it creates some of the best times they rememeber the rest of their lives. Hard to put a price on that. For most it’s only a night or two per month. And a high number of instate UW students pay most of their own education. Very few seem to get the full M&D ride. Nobody anywhere studies much Friday or Saturday night anywhere.</p>
<p>I admit I haven’t read this thread since it first started… but have to pipe up re: UW. I certainly ventured up to Madison for Halloween (for a boy as well as for the party). Completely unforgettable! Not that we didn’t have a great time at Northwestern (there was always a party if you wanted one), but Madison was in a class by itself. Good times!</p>
<p>barrons, you’re so transparent!
Poor / minority people who are committing petty crimes – downfall of America.
White middle class college students who are committing petty crimes – just good ol’ fashioned college fun and good times all around, and everyone in the town should just shut up and deal! </p>
<p>Your defense of binge drinking is appalling. I’m not naive enough to pretend that students won’t drink. But there is a difference between having a few beers and getting completely hammered every week.</p>
<p>The view that some of the “best times of your life” involve binge drinking (while mom and dad pay for a real education) is just sad. I am convinced that the “we did it, so can our kids” mentality has taken over. What these parents don’t realize is that now kids are drinking heavy in high school, and becoming full fledged alcoholics in college. Wonder what their kids will be doing?</p>
<p>Big article in our local paper about how both alcohol and drug use are way up among teens. The only thing I can say is that in the 60’s things also got way out of control and people came back to a more balanced lifestyle. I pray that will return.</p>
<p>Binge drinking does NOT mean getting completely drunk every weekend. It actually would mean a bit more than half get drunk once a month. Also under the BD rules you are not really drunk having 5 drinks in two hours. That’s just a good buzz. Drug use is pretty limited and mostly pot.
I did not say downfall of America but a real and measurable negative impact on one city. Even the AA police chief said most new crime was due to the influx of outsiders. It’s more fun to go to a bar or party with friends than sit around stoned. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, a few of us can hardly get drunk if we try. Five drinks in two hours wouldn’t faze me, either, which is really annoying on those occasions when I would like to feel it. On the other hand, this high tolerance does have the beneficial effect of reducing the motivation to drink alcohol at all. I have long cursed my overly-efficient liver.</p>
<p>I have not had 5 drinks in one night in decades. I don’t drive with two drinks now. Not worth the risk. Most UW students don’t need to drive to get to bars and parties. They are in walking distance.</p>
<p>Here’s a long thread about living in Madison and nobody worries much about the students.</p>