Image that it’s the first week of college, commonly referred to as O-week. You and your new friends stroll to one of Cornell’s stately fraternity houses, mixing and mingling on the spacious lawn surrounding it. Clear, plastic beer cup in hand, you stroll over to a truck. Yes, a truck, with spigots coming out of the side. You turn the spigots and fill your cup to the brim with sudsy ale. Does this sound like a dream? This was the reality for many of our parents who attended Cornell in the 1980s. The drinking age was 18, so underage drinking was of no concern to the university. Due to this, frats hosted large open parties during o week, which were very inclusive to the general student body.
Nowadays, freshmen make the trek from North campus all the way to Collegetown, only to find themselves excluded from some private house parties, or unable to physically enter the open parties. The parties that are open are typically so crowded that freshmen have no choice but to stand uncomfortably close to one another, unable to have a genuine conversation over the blaring music. Personal space is nonexistent, and the line for the keg is out the door, possibly even snaking its way onto College Ave. Despite the severe lack of breathing room, don’t even think about stepping out of the sauna – I mean, house, for some air. If Cornell or Ithaca police catch you outside with an open container, you’ll find yourself with a JA (judicial administrator) offense on the first week of school.
Flashing back to the 80s, it’s the following Tuesday evening. You want to get a drink, but don’t want to walk all the way from your West campus dorm room to Collegetown. The solution? Step out of your dorm and walk 100 yards to the pub on campus in the old Noyes center. You can even make a quick stop in the mail room on the way to see if you have any magazines waiting for you.
The current scenario would find you in your North campus dorm room, also in need of a drink. Remedying this solution entails first, locating your fake ID. Second comes the realization that not all of your new friends have fake IDs. After abandoning the unfortunate few who are not 21 year olds from (insert random state name here, except the one you actually reside in), you first must decide whether to walk, or wait an indefinite amount of time for TCAT bus which never seems to run on schedule. Once you get to Collegetown, you have about three bar options. Contrast this to the dozen or so bars that awaited our parents in the 80s. I’d like to take a moment of silence to remember the beloved Johnny’s, The Palms, Rulloffs, Dino’s etc. (RIP.) Today, students have the option of getting beer spilled on them in an overly crowded Dunbars, fighting their way to the bar at Locos, or if all else fails, Pixel is an option…but only after 12:30am. (Oh, and did I already mention that our parents had the option of going to a bar on campus??) Clearly, a lot has changed.
