Do families living a stone's throw from colleges really expect a Pleasantville-type of atmosphere on Friday and Saturday nights?
I live in a big house just across from Concordia on 7th Avenue, an area full of single-family homes rented out to college students. We had a party at our house Saturday evening after the Power Bowl. Before the party, we visited our neighbors at about 7:30 p.m. and told them if they had any issues with noise, that they could call us and we'd send everyone home. Their response: "We don't do that, we just call the cops." So with that, we kept everyone inside the house, shut all the doors, windows and shades, and didn't play any music.
So what do we get for being responsible and sensitive to our neighbors? Two separate visits from Moorhead police, who seemed annoyed the second time as to why they were dispatched to our house because it was that quiet. But it didn't end there.
Our neighbor barged into our house, hysterical and crying, saying we were ruining the neighborhood and that her children weren't safe. This was at 11 p.m., mind you. She was irate, not because it was loud and she couldn't sleep, but because people were walking on the sidewalks past her house. She even threw beer bottles at people walking by.
We shared a nice laugh - as a house - after her theatrics and unfounded claims. Our response: Treat us with respect and don't stereotype every college student as crazy, irresponsible drunks who don't care about the community. We'll continue to try and build a relationship with our neighbors.
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But we ask: Why did you - as well as other families - buy a house close to a college campus if you expect complete silence every night of the week?
Matt McPherson
Moorhead
