Rude Students need to clean up their acts
Rowdy actions causing property damage to dorms; holes in students pockets

By Kathryn Bergin
Collegian Staff
February 27, 2008

North Dorms is home to many residents here at La Salle. The first floor of St. Jerome has been my on-and-off home since the fall semester and while I’ve adapted to my new surroundings, well, there are some small issues that are usually beyond my control.

My first gripe pertains to the broken windows in the Saints Cassian, Albert, Hilary and Jerome common areas, particularly the hall that leads to St. Cassian. I’m not sure if this has been an issue in any other dorm areas, but throughout the first and second semester, countless numbers of windows have been smashed throughout CAHJ.

I’m unsure of what causes someone to want to throw his or her hand through a glass window, but I’m pretty sure it may be something along the line of one too many alcoholic beverages and a bad case of rage. Every time I wake up on a Saturday morning to discover another broken window, I feel just a slight bit of anger, because when my parents receive the bill for my fine La Salle education, there will be a little fee on there for damages. Then I have to spend an hour on the phone with both my mother and my father explaining that it was not my drunken antics that caused the damages, but somebody else’s, and because all of the witnesses to the action do not want to be the snitch, no one fesses up and everyone is billed.

It seems unfair in my eyes that someone else does the damage, and I and the rest of CAHJ inherit the consequences. Lucky us— not only do we have to deal with the fee, but the place is unsightly. The week between the window being broken and it being replaced, there was a nice piece of wood placed over the glass-less window pane so students couldn’t hurt themselves, and the cold winter air wouldn’t get into the building. From time to time, I’ve heard students reference North Halls as the projects. Actions like breaking a window which won’t be fixed for a week, thus a piece of wood being placed over it, really does take away from the appearance of our buildings.

So the next time you return to fair North Dorms inebriated, remember that if you want to live in an unsightly area, then rent a house off campus and break your own windows. I would appreciate it if it wasn’t done on my tab.

My second issue is in regards to the egregious noise level. I, for one, appreciate my sleep. Just ask my roommate. If there’s a nap to be had, then a nap will be taken, because as a college student, I feel it’s my job. But when I wake up to rap music 20 leagues over the appropriate decibel level before 11 a.m. on a Saturday, well, I’m not a happy camper. I’m all for playing music loud to provide a little jump start to waking up, or to get ready for an exciting night of being a Guitar Hero, but when someone from a different building is the source of the music and I can clearly hear it, then we’ve got an issue.

Please remember, this is a diverse community. Some people like to sleep late, not everyone enjoys the same music. People don’t want to be woken up early during the weekend to music they don’t enjoy. Please be considerate when dancing around your room getting the blood flowing on a Friday night before you go out, or on a Saturday morning before you crack open the books. If someone can hear your music from outside your closed door, then it’s loud enough.

I don’t mean to be a killjoy. Please understand that I do like to have fun, go out and enjoy myself and play my music loud. But there’s a time and place for everything. I’d kindly like to remind some of the residents of North Dorms that we all live in a community and a community is affected by its members. Just remember that when you want to play The Outfield’s hit song, “I Don’t Want to Lose Your Love Tonight,” on a Friday afternoon, there maybe someone napping a floor above or below you. That, or they just really don’t like that song.

bergink1@lasalle.edu