#57- Conditional welcoming to Students

Recently our mayor was criticized for his comments to students regarding partying-hard instead of studying hard at their welcome party. (http://www.am980.ca/news/local/story.aspx?ID=1767323)  
Everyone knows that London is notorious for it's so called 'party schools' (I need not name names) and while some are worse than others, just as not all students are partiers, I am particularly annoyed at the acceptance and encouragement of this behaviour by the public, much less London's own mayor!

In light of last years riot at Fleming drive, and while police and residents are still cleaning up the mess that that incident left, ol' Mayor was particularly out of line even to be 'just light hearted in the moment'.

Another thing that riled up students and critics alike was the comment made by a local bar owner that they would 'rather eat glass' than serve the return of the students to London.
I do not like to be critical or judgemental of a group simply by the actions of a few or a stereotype, but having lived here now almost five years, I can't say I'm out with banners and balloons welcoming the students back. With the turning of the leaves, so I dread the return of the students in many ways. London is really quite a nice place during the summer, and now with being home-owners, I have found that students bring distruptiveness to the neighbourhood, more garbage, (increasingly showing up on our yard and in nearby parks since school started) more accidents, less respect for the citizens of London, (there seems to be a 'suck-up' attitude to the students I've found, we don't want to scare any of them away (Direct quote "Western University and its students generate $1.5 billion a year in economic activity, according to the university. Add Fanshawe College and its students into the mix, and that’s an awful lot of money." from http://www.lfpress.com/2012/08/31/students-a-vital-player-in-what-makes-us-london
And overall just a grumpier city who is told to quiet down and try to be nice to the little students who are our future.
The way London caters to students however and the blind eye turned when it comes to their behaviour is really not acceptable. Particularly because they are our future!
Once upon a time, the privilege of attending, much less affording, college and university was something that most young people took very seriously. If you were so lucky to go, (unless you were a spoiled brat with rich parents in which case you were generally sent to some private hippity-bippity school) You studied hard, saved your pennies, and were actually interested in what you were learning. We take the privilege of education far too frivilously, how many times have I heard students groaning that it's 'crunch time' right before or during exams and that now they have to actually pay attention and study and how haaaard school is (but going to class with a hangover 4 times a week is kind of your fault isn't it...?)

On a separate note, did you know that annually students throw away 275 tons of garbage each year??
(http://www.londoncommunitynews.com/2012/05/students-throw-away-about-275-tonnes-of-trash/) Not to mention what this costs the city!

Before I go off on a rant I shall conclude what I really wanted to conclude with: Students; please be respectful. This city has citizens who were here first and will be here when you leave, you're not the king, you're a visitor. Clean up after yourself, enjoy gratefully the services our taxes are paying for for you, please attend a local coffee shop over pushing for Starbucks on every corner, drive better on the road, there are not just students but families with children on them; learn how to use cross walks and be a good pedestrian; plan ahead with what you're going to do with furniture you don't intend to take with you when you leave, don't just chuck brand new furniture to the curb! We understand you want to take some time to relax and have fun, but don't leave a mess at someone else's expense and remember, you're a visitor! Don't throw your beer bottles on peoples yards or parks. If you want to get really crazy, be a part of our communities while you are here instead of just taking from them, give something back! 
Do us all a favour and try to learn something other than how to party, I don't need to be hit by the car of a driver who is studying to be a police officer or have my picture a joke on facebook from being in an accident instead of helped by someone studying their PSW or nursing.
If you wanted to spend 80 grand on partying instead of getting a diploma, perhaps you should have looked into touring the Most Popular Party Places of the World.

Seriously.
On a final note, I personally know that there are many students who are working hard, being respectful, and overall make London a better place with their presence during the school year, I recognize that London thrives financially because of their presence, and I appreciate the different positive aspects, but this overall attitude of both students and the public needs to end before they run us to the ground; or at least out of the city!!