It is no secret that college students have a reputation for being reckless and wild, participating in drunken binges and crazy partying until all hours of the night. Those fancy college guides even have listings that point you towards the best party schools in the country. However, St. John’s is not a university particularly synonymous with wild partying.

Due in large to the fact that the residence halls are a fairly recent addition to the Queens Campus, the community surrounding St. John’s has been thrown into a whirlwind of changes. Each year, more and more students choose to reside on campus, adding to the school’s community-feel, while subtly changing the dynamic of the local area.

Although we are still a far cry away from the stereotypical “college town,” the area around St. John’s is now much more lively than it was just a decade ago. Despite the fact that many of these changes, such as the addition of the Barnes and Noble and the success of other businesses, are positive ones, it’s the late-night behavior that has Queens residents up in arms.

For many St. John”s students, trekking by foot to local hot spots such as Traditions or Last Call are regular activities. However, it is not the walk to such places that is the problem, but the walk home that has many locals creating a clamor. The problem stems from the fact that students transform into loud and reckless delinquents on their way home. Things that would be frowned upon while sober suddenly become acceptable.

It is not uncommon for local residents to wake up to students using their front lawn as a public restroom, as many have complained of people urinating in their driveways or vomiting on their grass. Quite frankly, that’s disgusting.

In this day and age, fun and recklessness are unfortunately synonymous, but the problem arises when the property of innocent residents is being desecrated and destroyed by students in a drunken stupor. Simply, there is a difference between having fun and being destructive, and unfortunately, that line is often crossed.

Although local residents should be a bit more forgiving because they did choose to live near a college campus and some of this type of behavior is to be expected, there needs to be a happy medium. It is up to the students to behave somewhat responsibly, even while intoxicated. Although it may seem acceptable at the time, it is necessary to look at the situation from a home owner’s point of view.

There aren’t many people who would enjoy waking up in the morning to a pool of vomit on their lawns or a urine lake in their driveway.

Although the day after a drunken binge may be harsh for the drinker, it is even more unpleasant for someone cleaning up the remnants of a stranger’s drunken behavior. It all goes back to that old cliched golden rule of treating others how you’d like to be treated, except in this situation, it’s a bit abridged. It is time to treat others (and their property) how’d you like to be treated-even while intoxicated.