As high school students, we pictured college in a specific way; a place where students attend massive lecture classes by day, and stay up to occasionally write last minute papers or attend numerous parties by night. Mind you, this seems to be done with very little trouble. However, this stereotype is quickly broken upon arriving at college when we first attempt an all-nighter and realize just how much we value sleep.

But this desire to sleep our lives away does nothing to prevent the opportunities and considerations we face when the parties occur. Each weekend we are tempted to attend for social gatherings or certain ‘adult’ beverages. Work or school may sway the decision, but oftentimes the only thing that prevents us from attending parties is the lack of them.

Is Millikin as party heavy as it once was?

Many of the students (including myself) have not been on campus long enough to answer this from a personal perspective, yet the rumors do exist. The word on the street is that Millikin University is severely lacking in nighttime entertainment, especially compared to how it once was just a few years ago.

I, for one, would have to agree. From what I have heard, instead of being able to locate one party a weekend, the campus once supported two or three. Students were more focused on the social aspect of college life. Now, they seem to be more focused on school work or their jobs.

However, this is not necessarily a bad thing, nor is it good. It, for numerous reasons, simply is.

Parties on a college campus would obviously also host underage individuals and would therefore make a great police bust. Decatur is not known as a very safe place, and after a shooting and numerous robberies this year alone, it is no wonder that the police department is constantly on the prowl. Fear of being busted alone can lead to a lack of parties.

Thus, the parties that do exist tend to be smaller or by invitation only to avoid being busted. Parties that are large tend to be a matter of tradition. These parties are hosted annually by the same house. Those that aren’t annual seem to only attract certain groups of people depending upon the house.

Parties tend to be smaller and less inclusive, but this also allows a student to attend one of their choosing with people they wish to be around.

And because of this friendly atmosphere, I think that Millikin’s decline in the party scene is not a bad thing at all.