Anyone else live near a college town?

[Idaho45guy]

If you do, then you are likely aware of the awfulness of this time of year.

If you don't, then let me clue you in...

I live near TWO college towns fifteen miles away in which the population of the towns nearly doubles when the students come back this time of year.

Usually, we get a reprieve from the horrible driving, traffic, long lines everywhere, increase in crime, etc. over the summer. But this year, the Californians have been moving in, and they have the mental and maturity level of your average 21 yr old, so it's been annoying already.

Now, we have around 50,000 extra people here that are self-centered, ignorant, dangerous behind the wheel, and think everyone owes them.

Yes, not all of them are like that. There are plenty of great college kids. But when you get 50,000 of them, there is a fair chance that a significant number of them are pretty bad.

Just got back from town and nearly got into 3 accidents involving college kids. One going the wrong way, one pulling into the wrong lane, and one doing about 60 in a 25 zone on a motorcycle wearing shorts and flip-flops.

It's crazy now.

Anyone else live in a college town and know what it's like? Does it seem to be getting worse lately, or am I just getting older and crankier?

[Randy Bohannon]

I don’t think we have 50K people in all the counties around me combined, no University, Jr college extensions are not really a problem. Universities are the ‘Skunk Works’ of the Human milk duds.

[dbosman]

I live just outside East Lansing the home of Michigan State University. The city has a population of 47K the college has 50K students. The tri-county area is under half a million so they add up.
As for accidents, well, I did once get hit by a student trying to make a left across five lanes of cars.
Their parents can be just as bad. They're the ones who end up driving the wrong way down two lane one way streets.

[GhostHawk]

Fargo ND has the NDSU campus. Across the river in Moorhead Mn they have 2, Moorhead State and Concordia which is a private christian based school.

Maybe it is I am just far enough from the 3 campus's that I just don't see it.
Or maybe we are just getting a better grade of students around here.

[jakharath]

I live in Bryan/College Station, TX. Home of Texas A&M University. Have about 65,000 students. Bryan and College Station has about 200,000 residents. It definitely makes a difference when students are back. Classes start Monday, so this week is still move in. Plenty of parents and new students. What will be interesting is we usually have 7000 or so freshman and it takes them a few weeks to learn campus and town, then things settle down. Because of covid, we'll have this years freshman and last years freshman (sophomores now). We are going to have an interesting few weeks.

I'm glad to have the students back!

[megasupermagnum]

Aberdeen has NSU. It's not bad, it's all perspective. It isn't like a college clears out over the summer like a high school. Maybe 1/4 of the students truly leave for an extended time. Most stay and work, and plenty still have classes.

I grew up within a weekend driving distance of major metro area in a lake area. Look at Alexandria, MN, Brainerd, MN, Wisconsin Dells, WI, etc. What you have in Idaho is not at all comparable to the summertime migration of cities like these. If you already have 50,000+ people where you are to begin with, then none of it matters anyway. You seem to hate city life and small town life at the same time. You can't have both. Such is life.

[Traffer]

I live in a College town. Right near the town square and by the river front where the rock concerts are. It gets nuts at night with the loud head banger music and drunks screaming...motor psyco's trying to be loud and cars burning out.
But with I think back to when I was that age...I just sigh and am grateful that I survived. The kids nowadays don't compare to the wildness that we generated in my day.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

We have 4 colleges. I do not notice much trouble. And the summer tourists are gone.

[DougGuy]

Fargo ND has the NDSU campus. Across the river in Moorhead Mn they have 2, Moorhead State and Concordia which is a private christian based school.

Maybe it is I am just far enough from the 3 campus's that I just don't see it.
Or maybe we are just getting a better grade of students around here.

Places like the mountains are hard on folks in winter, you can't be lazy and expect to survive, Fargo is VERY hard on folks in the winter, so that alone weeds out a bunch of the slackers, life is too hard on their candy ***** to stick around where you have to work to eat, work to stay warm, etc.. An old ironworker foreman told me once "Gotta be tough if you're gonna be stupid." Guess the entitlement generation isn't that tough.

[StuBach]

I live just outside East Lansing the home of Michigan State University. The city has a population of 47K the college has 50K students. The tri-county area is under half a million so they add up.
As for accidents, well, I did once get hit by a student trying to make a left across five lanes of cars.
Their parents can be just as bad. They're the ones who end up driving the wrong way down two lane one way streets.

I too love and work in the greater East Lansing area and advise two businesses in downtown area. Summer there is peaceful. Anyone can go down town, enjoy the nice scenery, eat at local restaurants, etc.. This week is welcome week for us and the nightmare begins. Business will be booming which is greatly appreciated for my operators but you couldn’t pay me to try and take my family down town now that students are back.

To your accidents conversation. We have a high population of very wealthy students come each year and they invariably bring their very nice cars. I watched a young man in a custom $540k Mirror Finish Lamborghini Aventador total his car by rear-ending a Jeep CJ7 on Grand River. Lambo was totaled, CJ7 just needed some bumper work[emoji1787]. Kid was a regular at one of the businesses I call on, he was in a new lambo two weeks later courtesy of daddy or mommy.

Most college kids have parents credit card and no common sense which makes for problems for many, not all by any means, if them. Problem is the bad are more noticeable than the good so they make them all look bad. I’m happy they’re back and glad to see businesses getting some customers again, just practicing my defensive driving.

[wch]

A small liberal arts college 15 miles away, PSU 30 miles from my home- 'nuff said!

[Cosmic_Charlie]

We are lucky in that most of the students are in state and not from the East or West coasts. They do not come here to party.

[jsizemore]

Youngin's tend to cut loose when they ain't got ma and pa lookin' over their shoulder.

[bakerjw]

We have ETSU and for the most part they are well behaved. I do avoid that area like the plague though.

[Gator 45/70]

It's still hot down here and that means the young ladies are sporting short shorts, Possibly this is the cause of a few wrecks due too necks being cranked over 180 degrees and not paying attention to the road ?

[Idaho45guy]

It's still hot down here and that means the young ladies are sporting short shorts, Possibly this is the cause of a few wrecks due too necks being cranked over 180 degrees and not paying attention to the road ?

Oh, definitely! I went to buy groceries yesterday and the amount of bare skin and clothes so tight that it leaves little to the imagination on display was shocking. I really try not to look, but it really does just grab your attention for a moment.

[MT Gianni]

Yep MT Tech has a couple of thousand kids and Western MT College must be close to that. Bozeman on the other hand, which has been full of arrogant body parts with no brains gets close to 15 K or so. They might get a diploma but in my mind they leave brainless and arrogant.

[Dunross]

Been working in a major university town for over thirty years. The week before the beginning of Fall Term and the first two weeks afterwards are the local Silly Season. Lots and lots of kids with minimal driving experience trying to get somewhere they don't know how to get there. It takes a few weeks for many of them to figure out it's not worth the effort to drive to class so they end up taking the bus, scooter, bicycle, or walking. Shopping in town during that time is more annoying than driving - particularly places like Target, Wal Mart, etc.

Any place that sees a large population movement on a seasonal basis experiences the same problems. I'll take the college kids over driving in Orlando, Tampa, Miami any day!

[Bmi48219]

Any place that sees a large population movement on a seasonal basis experiences the same problems. I'll take the college kids over driving in Orlando, Tampa, Miami any day!

Thank heaven there’s no university near us. In fact the past three years the snow-bird migration has been sparse too. Covid really kept them away last season. Guess it’s true, every cloud does have a silver lining. None the less, between distracted drivers and left-turn (from the right lane) artists a trip to the drug store is risky business.
I’m convinced 40% of Florida drivers are uninsured and 25% are unlicensed.

[gwpercle]

Baton Rouge Louisiana , home to the Louisiana State University Fighting Tigers and Southern University and A&M College Jaguars ... not one but two Universities !
Yes the traffic gets a little bad , at first ... then every one finds their way around and finds the easiest routes so traffic gets better ... But best of all ... You know it's coming ... FOOTBALL SEASON !
Gary

[trebor44]

Have lived in multiple "college" towns. Nothing much has changed over the decades. Just expect the worst behavior on the part of the 'emigrants' will be prevalent until the snow flies and then things will settle down a bit.

[Handloader109]

It is one of the main reasons we moved about 20 miles from our previous abode. Was on outskirts of Fayetteville AR, population is 90,000. Uark has roughly 30k to 35k students that in person attend.
We would have to pass by south end of campus to get to anything or go 5 more miles out of the way, and even then things can get really stupid. Traffic and otherwise. So we now go south once in a great while. I try and stay away......

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Riverpigusmc]

Try working at UF and driving a state van through the phone zombies. I've seen smarter ping pong balls

[beezapilot]

Small private college, Stetson University (yep, the hat guy of western fame),catering to the wealthy- 3 miles away on the north end of downtown. Small population of students by comparison to real colleges. (PRE COVID) Nice to go to the football / baseball games and the music department had a series of performances each year that were very well done. The kids keep the brew-pubs alive, the parents keep the good restaurants going. Very scenic campus to drive through that adds to the ambiance of downtown.

[higgins]

If I lived in a college town I would do some serious scavenging at the end of the semester. No telling how many microwaves, lamps, desks, other furniture, books, hotplates, and other miscellaneous appliances are set on the curb, by the dumpster, or elsewhere for the taking. Most college-age people are not into saving money so reusing something that they will have to haul home doesn't occur to them; everything has to be new, and mom or dad will oblige them next year.

[BJK]

A college is about 10 miles away that caters to the wealthy out of staters, but it's not all that large (Colby College WTVL, ME) so no I don't notice it. Maybe those are the folks who act like they've never seen snow every year?

[farmbif]

moms and dada just dropped off chidden at school, its Friday night, a little bit of beer and spirits, just about right

[Wayne Smith]

Let's see. Regent University across the interstate from us, ODU, Norfolk State, Eastern Virginia Medical School, ECPI and lots of smaller ones you've probably never heard of. Friend of mine teaches at Southern University, another teaches at Regent. Lots of opportunities for culture - but basically Norfolk is a Military town and Virginia Beach is a Military town as well. Lot more military than students, and those up from the south don't know how to drive on snow either!

[megasupermagnum]

Most college-age people are not into saving money so reusing something that they will have to haul home doesn't occur to them; everything has to be new, and mom or dad will oblige them next year.

False. I don't think there is a stronger group of people into saving money, than college kids.

[Kraschenbirn]

If I lived in a college town I would do some serious scavenging at the end of the semester. No telling how many microwaves, lamps, desks, other furniture, books, hotplates, and other miscellaneous appliances are set on the curb, by the dumpster, or elsewhere for the taking. Most college-age people are not into saving money so reusing something that they will have to haul home doesn't occur to them; everything has to be new, and mom or dad will oblige them next year.

We live just outside Urbana, IL, home campus of the University of Illinois (approx. 52,000 enrollment) and for the last twenty years have volunteered time to the University YMCA's annual "Dump & Run" project that collects as much of the abandoned goods and furniture as possible, sorts and culls, and then holds a community garage sale in August to to raise funds for student activities. This year, even with the university's Covid restrictions, we raised over $17,000 and diverted several tons of materials from the land fills. (And, btw, this was the lowest dollar amount since the project began; we normally pull in around$25K or better.) While we get much of our merchandise from the local community, a great deal of what comes from the campus shows very little use/wear...like clothing and shoes bearing original price tags...and very little of it what I'd call 'inexpensive'.

Anyway, they're back and the fall semester is underway. Day before yesterday, I was headed home from the southwest side of town and, without thinking, cut through the campus area; took almost a half-hour to get here.

Bill

[Kraschenbirn]

False. I don't think there is a stronger group of people into saving money, than college kids.

Some are, some aren't. For the most part, the young folks I'm involved with at the student YMCA are heavily involved in environmental/social justice issues and quite frugal; more over to the other side of 6th street...the traditional fraternity/sorority zone...and it's a different ball of wax. In the last five or six years, the trend in off-campus housing has gone to high-rise aprartment buildings that run $800-$1200/month per occupant...built-in big screen TVs, wet bars and fitness centers with saunas for the tenants. Of course, the ones who graduate are leaving with $100k+ of student debt but they figure that, sooner or later, the Dems will write that off for them.

Btw...my wife and I are both U of I alumni who graduated without debt: she had a pretty good scholarship and worked p/t as a lab assistant; I had the GI Bill and worked second-shift as a fill-in machine operator/welder in a plant making truck bumpers.

Bill

[rbuck351]

I do not live near anything that amounts to lots of people and that's the reason I moved here. I live 2 miles outside of a small town of 1200 people and about 65 miles from the " big town" of about 30,000. I don't even like going to the "big town"
so I limit that. I don't need the hustle of the "big town" let alone a real "big town".

One son lives in Saratoga Springs UT and when visiting him I like to spend the extra couple of hours driving down the west side of the Salt Lake area rather than the freeway through town. I hate big cities and ant hills of people. Before retirement I lived in a couple of College towns and didn't like it. Now that I don't have to live there, I don't.

[Idaho45guy]

If I lived in a college town I would do some serious scavenging at the end of the semester. No telling how many microwaves, lamps, desks, other furniture, books, hotplates, and other miscellaneous appliances are set on the curb, by the dumpster, or elsewhere for the taking. Most college-age people are not into saving money so reusing something that they will have to haul home doesn't occur to them; everything has to be new, and mom or dad will oblige them next year.

That is especially true here where we have a large number of Asian and Middle-Eastern students. I've never done it, but the younger guys at work have some epic stories of stuff they've scored.

One I especially remember was one guy was driving up to a dumpster in one of the nicer student housing complexes, and he sees an Asian student carrying Keurig coffee machine and about to throw it away. He stops and manages to get the machine before it's damaged by getting thrown in the dumpster. Then he starts chatting with the student and ends up getting a display rack full of samurai swords.

Turns out, the kid gets full use of a credit card while at college, but doesn't want his parents to see all the frivolous things he bought, so he and other rich students just throw them away, then replace them when they come back after the summer.

Reminds me of the time I had to run off an Asian kid from our company property who was driving a newer BMW crossover. X2, I believe. $50,000 SUV. It's last November with a foot of snow in the forecast, and I walk up to this car and first thing I notice is a giant dent in the rear driver's side from him cutting a corner too sharp and hitting something. Then I notice his tires are bald. I mean, bald. Cords showing on one side on the front.

Daddy obviously gave him this new BMW for college, and the kid can't drive and has no concept of vehicle maintenance.

He speaks almost no English and after I tell him he's on private property and needs to leave, I try to tell him he needs new tires. He did a lot of nodding, but I don't think he understood 90% of what I was saying.