When you think of College Park, do you think of it as your home or just the place you live for nine months of the year? Students should view College Park as their home and should want to get involved with the community and help enact change where needed.
How about another question: Because students are transient in nature, are we precluded from any activity or decision the city makes?
No. As students, whether living on the campus or elsewhere within city limits, we are all affected by rules and regulations. Have you ever been affected by a noise complaint?
Just because all students may not view College Park as their home, it should not and does not make us less bona fide members of the community. While we may look, feel and act a little different than some of the other residents, we are one and the same, and maybe we could put in more effort to make this more than “a livable community.”
Many students are unaware of what the city can do for them, as they believe it is the university that needs to enact change within the community. But this is not always the case. The College Park City Council works hard for students, even allowing a student representative to be present at its meetings to voice a student opinion.
The city, according to its mission statement, is dedicated to enhancing the quality of living for all who live here. Such enhancements include determining rent control levels, noise ordinances and other regulations to generally keep peace and maintain order. Some ordinances may hinder our Saturday night plans, but keep in mind that the 10-year-old down the street may not want his weekly chore to be picking up the red Solo cups from his yard on Sunday mornings.
Now, hear me out: I’m not calling for an end to Saturday night shenanigans, but what I am saying is try to remember we are all members of the same community. Maybe we could work to make it a little more livable for full-time residents.
Once again, the city will be hosting College Park Day, where officials will showcase all that College Park and the surrounding areas have to offer. This year, the event is being held during Family Weekend, on Oct. 22, as the city hopes to draw students and their families to the event.
Why not stop by and spend a little time with the greater College Park community? Who knows, maybe you’ll get to enjoy some of Washington’s famous food trucks.
Many students are registered to vote in their hometowns, but how about registering to vote in College Park? When you vote, you are voting for change, and changing College Park should be important, as well.
Many student residents of College Park are unaware city elections are taking place in November. If students were to register and vote en masse, we could really make a statement in our community.
Next time you are walking to Cornerstone Grill and Loft or roaming around the Graham Cracker, look around you and take a mental note of things you think need to be changed. Talk to friends who live in off-campus residences to get their views on how the city could work better with students. College Park thrives on students and students should thrive on the city, so be the voice and enact the change.
Marcella Morris is the SGA city council liaison and can be reached at morrismarcella@gmail.com.
