Students should at least be respectful 

In response to Maggie Nichols’ letter to the editor in last week’s paper (“Not all students are the same,” Oct. 28): I agree that your friend was treated unfairly by being accused of being drunk when really he was in need of help, and I’m sorry that happened. I also agree that not all college students are bad. The problem is that most of the ones we “full-time residents” see and hear make us think otherwise.

I was born and raised in the area and now live in SLO. I work full time and have made the mistake of living fairly close to downtown for the past year. I have been woken up numerous times in the middle of the night by loud college students wandering home after the bars close. I am pretty lenient on noise and have always resisted calling the police when things get loud, but I had to recently due to a party that got out of control across the street from my house. A fight broke out and woke up everyone on the block.

When I have to be at work at 7 a.m., it’s not acceptable to me to be woken up due to people not being respectful of me or of each other. Just last week I witnessed someone celebrating her 21st birthday, dressed like she was ready to go out for the night, at 11:30 a.m. I was enjoying lunch at a local establishment and she was already drunk, trying to pee on the sidewalk because she didn’t want to wait for the bathroom. She then proceeded to pass out at the table while waiting for the food her friends had ordered to help sober her up. That’s unacceptable at 11:30 in the morning, 21st birthday or not.

Here’s the catch: I’m a twenty-something. I’ve had my days, or nights, and I like to have fun every once in a while, too. But I always at least try to be respectful. It’s not fair that everyone gets stereotyped, but unfortunately that’s the way the world works. To all the college students in SLO: You’re in college, live it up, we don’t mind! Everyone’s been there. Just be aware of your surroundings and respect those of us who aren’t living your lifestyle anymore. Then maybe try spending a summer here and see how nice it is ... besides the tourists, but that’s another letter in itself.