When I first committed to Bloomsburg University, some of the first things I heard were, "Oh, a party school, huh?" and "Will you be going to Block Party?" My upbringing in a sheltered hometown combined with my lack of high school party experience left me with no idea of what Block Party even was. My older sister informed me based on what she heard from the people she went to college with who attended Block party. She explained that it was a massive, town-wide party that almost all of the students at BU attended and often got out of hand. She told me how people got tear-gassed, and how college students from all over Pennsylvania came to it.
At that point, I had pretty much made up my mind that I didn't want to go to Block Party. Not because I'm a goodie-goodie, not because I condemn people who drink or party, but because the event just seemed dangerous and excessive.
If you aren't familiar with Block Party, allow this video to enlighten you: Block Party 2015
This year, I am a junior, and it is my third year skipping Block Party.
Usually, Block Party falls on my birthday or birthday weekend. And then I get responses like, "The whole town is throwing you a party! Why are you going home?" This year, I got, "You're going home on your first legal Block Party? Are you insane?"
I mean, being 21 this year does not mean that the town exempts me from public drunkenness and open container laws, but I appreciate the idea.
I usually don't ask people how Block Party, was, but this year I was curious. I learned that Block Party is done in shifts. Many party-goers get up around 9am, give or take, and begin drinking. Around lunch, they eat and take the first nap of the day. After they nap, they go back out and drink some more until around dinner, when they repeat the eat-nap process. Then, party-goers often will go out and drink more, and those who are 21 will go to bars.
I also asked a student who is studying abroad here at Bloomsburg about her experience seeing Block Party. She told me that it was weird; she went downtown to see what it was all about, and people were just standing in backyards, drinking, without even playing music. I was shocked! I thought there was music. I thought music was a party requirement. Maybe this was just one party, not all of them.
I also hear that the people who cause problems at Block Party are the people who come from different schools. I've heard that these are the people who don't respect the town, and they are the ones who get tear-gassed. This is supported by Bloomsburg's Chief of Police, Roger Van Loan, who noted that only about 20% of Block Party's 2014 arrests were Bloomsburg University students (Police Prepare for Block Party Weekend). Good job Huskies, but try to keep your guests safe, too.
Speaking of safety, Block Party also got violent this year. Videos of fights circulated through my Facebook news feed. There have been rumors of "stabbings," but the only evidence I can find of this is actually one person who got slashed (Student Slashed at Annual Block Party Event).
I don't judge people who go to Block Party; I don't hate them. I have many friends who go every year and love it. I just genuinely don't understand the appeal. If you have to take naps to get through the day, how is that fun? So Block Party lovers, if you can let me know what exactly it is that you like about it, I'd love to hear. And if anyone out there shares my feelings, I'd love to hear your thoughts as well.
