WELCOME TO "COLLEGE PARK"
 

NEWS ANALYSIS

by MATT KINNEAR

The Terrapin Times Staff Writer

            Every year, thousands of incoming freshman come to this university with dreams of a bustling college town full of life.  The university advertises the town of College Park as “a true college town, with dozens of eateries, shops, clubs, and diversions just for students.” 

            Is this entirely accurate?  Of course it’s not.  Where are these dozens of eateries, shops, clubs and diversions they speak of?  Eateries?  There really aren’t too many choices for college students to take their families when they come to visit. Shops?  The term “mall” should be used lightly to describe the hole down Rt. 193.  Don’t forget The Rugged Wearhouse and T-Shirt Factory, we all know college students are dying to sport those latest fashions.  Clubs?  Bentley’s, Cornerstone Grill and Sante Fe Grill, and Lupo’s - but do these three and half bars alone turn College Park into the place to be on a Saturday night?  Diversions?  If by diversions you mean trying not to be mugged, then yeah, College Park is full of them. 

            On a good note, College Park officials are taking initiative on one issue to make the town more “pedestrian friendly” however.  The City’s Planning Department is taking steps to improve the non-vehicular access around the crowded Rt. 1 area, a positive for Maryland students.    

According to the Princeton Review, students argue that their hometown “does not live up to its potential.”  But what is it that makes a great college town?  A vibrant art scene, a strong economy and a commitment to the intellectual growth of the students are the three foundations of all famous college towns.    

Does College Park have any of these?  Where is the arts scene?  The University of Maryland does not have a great music scene, especially compared to the famous jazz scenes of the University of Virginia or University of Georgia.  Economically, according to the “City of College Park Economic Development Report,” the town is showing positive numbers for the 2002 fiscal year.  However, the alarming rate of abandoned and vacant commercial spaces is leaving city officials frantic for answers. 

I will be the first to admit that Washington D.C. and Baltimore, both in close proximity to College Park, are great cities.  Washington D.C. has everything that a college student would ever need: clubs, bars, sightseeing and an amazing music scene.  Baltimore is just as good in many ways as well.  These cities, however, are not exactly as accessible as the university makes them out to be. 

The university claims that College Park is “a half hour down the road” from Baltimore.  Yes it is, at 2 am.  There is this thing called traffic; obviously they did not read the recent Washington Post article ranking the D.C. area as the third worst in the country for traffic.  Washington, D.C. is only a “Metro ride away.” That is certainly an understatement.  The Metro is very intimidating for someone who has never ridden it before.

Whose fault is it though that College Park isn’t exactly your typical “college town”?  Who do we blame for these problems?  We can turn some of the blame to ourselves.  Our campus is described as one of the most apathetic in the country. Perhaps if we voiced our opinions things would change.  Did you know that tomorrow, November 4th, is Election Day? 

Or, maybe it’s just time for the last resort, the University can just pack up and move 10 miles down the road to D.C.  That will make everyone happy right?  But with the apathetic nature of this campus, will officials ever know if we’re happy or not? The only way this city can change is for students to make it happen.