It’s no big surprise that the residents of the Symphony neighborhood are up in arms over the behavior of some Northeastern students in their community. They are disgusted with the conduct of the students, which has now apparently moved past just general rowdiness and the occasional kegger. Take, for example, this letter sent to The Northeastern News from Symphony resident Tom Meyer.
“To the person(s) who threw the glass beer bottle over the wall into our yard: I am sure you did not consider the consequences of your actions as you tossed a glass beer bottle into the air. It landed in my yard and shattered. This is an area where small children play. We had to pick up the pieces and sweep the whole yard. Despite our efforts, my four-year old daughter got a piece of glass in her foot. This is causing continuous pain and tears for her. She has had to miss school and we have had to take time off from work to take her to the doctor. She is unable to walk on it or play in the playground. Please consider the consequences of your action. If you are brave enough to throw glass around the neighborhood, I dare you to be brave enough to apologize directly to a tear-stained, four-year-old girl.”
The letter is signed, “your neighbors, the Meyers.”
Neighbors. What kind of neighbors are some members of the Northeastern community, really? Even putting aside the emotional appeal of an angry father, where do we as college students and decent human beings draw the line?
This is nothing new to the university.
Plain and simple, some students fail to exercise basic human consideration. It permeates the campus. Some students ignore the signs instructing students not to smoke in front of the library. Is this so much to ask: a little consideration for those students who wish to not inhale the smoke indiscriminately blown in their faces?
Or how about the other students who choose to vandalize their residence halls? The mindset for this sect of students is perhaps that it is OK to dump your trash outside the elevator because someone else is bound to pick it up, right? The kicker is those students who break doors, put holes in the walls and generally destroy their residence halls, then don’t own up to it so the rest of the hall bears the brunt of their immaturity with a fee tacked on to their tuition bill.
Bottom line, some Northeastern students need to take a hard look at their behavior, both at the school and in the surrounding communities. Do it for the “pride of the Husky,” your fellow students or even this four-year-old girl. Just do it — the entire student body will benefit from it.
