Throughout my two and a half years at The University of Alabama, I have heard one complaint from Tuscaloosa residents regarding the University so many times that it seems as though it is an inevitable part of any “town-gown” relationship.
It is simple: Many students simply do not know how to be decent neighbors. This should not come as a surprise to most of us. Parties that get shut down for noise complaints are all too familiar. The drunk students walking down the street leaving a trail of destruction in their path are recognizable to all. The beer cans being heaved over into the neighbors’ yard are movie fodder because they’re so common.
And yet, many students act almost outraged that someone could possibly get mad at them for doing such a thing. “Why,” it’s often said, “would they live here if they didn’t expect to have college neighbors who throw parties all the time?” Now, there are plenty of easy reasons why this reasoning is frustrating. The one that stands out most is that, especially in areas such as the Historic District, the non-college residents have lived in Tuscaloosa far longer than any of the students have. One should not expect those residents to determine where they live based on their proximity to college students. To do so is profoundly self-centered and wholly lacking in perspective.
As students, the vast majority of us will be gone from this place in four or five years. For those pursuing a higher degree here, it may be as high as 10 years. What will never change for most of us is that we are, first and foremost, guests in this city. The residents of Tuscaloosa have allowed us to set up camp here while we pursue an education, and we would do well to not abuse that privilege.
While we may contribute to economic output and general business activity, we also contribute heavily to traffic, various forms of pollution and the lost opportunity cost that is associated with having a school of 36,000 nestled right in the center of a small city. In my conversations with Tuscaloosa residents, I have yet to meet a single individual who claimed that Tuscaloosa would be better off without the University. I have also yet to meet one who doesn’t appreciate many aspects of the University’s existence and is, at least in some sense, glad it’s located where it is. That does not give students a free ticket to play the part of obnoxious pests. Improving relations with the community must start with us being better guests and learning how to share a space with people who may not have the same interest in drinking and partying. And if our generation has any desire to shake the “entitled” label, this would be a good place to start.
Chisolm Allenlundy is a junior majoring in philosophy and economics. His column runs weekly.
