Journal Four: #1 Party School

The writer clearly defines the many issues that come with the title the #1 Party School and the audience easily understands them. One issue that is brought up is all the trouble families and older people have to deal with on the weekends because all the drunk students cause many different problems.

Reasons are given for why the issue needs to be investigated. The reason for investigating the affects on all the none student residents is to see how much damage and noise is made by students on a average weekend night.

Facts and details are given to explain the affects on the different groups that are connected to the issue. Dealing with the issue of weekend night problems caused by drunk students they give many examples and facts. Students stole a stop sign, throw trash on the ground, and urinate in people’s yards.

I think in all the issues that are brought up both sides are represented with some type of fact or quote. The makers of the radio show talk to an actually resident and finds out the common problems like trash and urination on their property. The makers of the radio show also talk to the students that stole the stop sign and other students to get their side of the weekend life.

The makers of the radio show want the listeners to take a side of either the students or the residents by knowing both perspectives. I am more on the student’s side because the residents should know what happens in a college town. Also, the students take a stop sign is not normal. I feel that only happens in extreme cases. The only bad things that happen on normal bases are urination on properties, throwing of trash and loud noise making.

I liked the piece a lot because I can really relate to all the things that happen on weekend nights. Students starting songs on the buses, the random chants of “WE ARE PENN STATE” on every other street corner and the bad taste of Natural Lite, but I every one still drinks it. I liked all the facts that I did not know about Penn State for example, 70% of students drink on weekends, and students on average consume 4.5 drinks a night. I did not like some of the things that were stated against the student population. I feel that a lot of the stories that were told were mostly the extreme cases that happened over the years like a frat lighting furniture on fire and a deliver guy getting punched in the face. If you look at the big picture if one extreme thing happens once weekend because of one stupid student out of 40,000 students that are out that weekend it does not seem that bad. Drinking at Penn State is a tradition and a cultural thing that has been established the past a couple of decades. There is so much pride in football, drinking and being students at Penn State that every one that comes and visits they are just amazed. Tailgating and going to a Penn State football game is on the list of things people must do before they die. My grandfather and my Dad both went to Penn State and it is a great thing to have in common because we all take great pride in representing Penn State.