The Semiannual “Students Are {Back, Gone}” Feature
Yay, the students are gone, along with the extra 1.5 percent of the city’s garbage they generate and the 1/6 of the downtown lot and structure parking they’re apparently responsible for. “And the city turns back a bit to being a small town.”
Ahhhhhhh…. thanks goodness!!!!
posted by Dumi on May 1st, 2006 at 5:38 pmWhat utterly predictable, stereotypical, asshole Annarbourite bullshit. From the News, I’d expect nothing less.
Shouldn’t the smug fucks that own this town be thankful that “Major crimes like murder, sexual assault or robbery stay at the same level”?
After reading an article like that, I’m tempted to give those crime statistics a goose.
posted by Jeff Dean on May 1st, 2006 at 6:23 pmI agree with Jeff. It was snotty. The students are what MAKE this town, and are what keep me with a young point of view. I miss them, and am always glad to see the energy and excitement that happens every Sept. when they return. Ah, but they are getting younger every year (cliche).
posted by realDemocrat on May 1st, 2006 at 6:54 pmAmen to realDemocrat. I think this place would be a wasteland without the uni, but sweet God those kids make me feel old. I’m only 27, I may as well be buying Depends.
posted by Sarah on May 1st, 2006 at 8:41 pmI miss the students already. Springtime is one of the best times to be a student in A2, though, because you get the best weather of the year right after everyone has left, and there are tables available at Dominick’s.
posted by This Blog is Overrated on May 2nd, 2006 at 3:04 amCan’t remember if it’s true but the story goes when the U moved from Detroit it was between Jackson and Ann Arbor to get the school or the state prison. The A2 founding fathers donated 40 acres to lure the University here and Jackson wanted the prison. Nothing against Jackson (I’m from Flint originally so I’m careful to cast aspersions) but what town do you think got the better deal? I’ll take the students and all the “problems” they bring for all the good that we get in return - plus I was one of those jay walking fools (oh my God) 14 years ago.
posted by Thomas Cook on May 2nd, 2006 at 8:50 amWhile I agree with the general idea for this blog, that Ann Arbor is in many ways overrated …
… just about every post is whiny in tone and devoid of substance.
So the Ann Arbor News did a piece about how the town changes when the students leave for summer and noted that some townies like the change. Big *@#$ing deal.
posted by This Blog Is Whiny on May 2nd, 2006 at 11:14 amI wanted to barf after the third sentence. What a load.
posted by nrvstorm on May 2nd, 2006 at 12:00 pmI like this blog a lot, people have interesting things to say…I agree with Whiny that people seem to be looking for reasons to slam the people who live in A2…no doubt some of the good natured ribbing of the deuce and its stereotypical inhabitants is warranted, A2 is a pretty good place to live if you want/need to live in the midwest. The students help make A2 what it is, but it is nice to have most of them leave for a bit too.
posted by nymbani yangu on May 2nd, 2006 at 1:05 pmOne wonders if the students themselves are not more excited about returning home, or better yet, vacationing to cities they actually like.
But if there is one thing to take away from all of this, it’s whether Ann Arbor would be a nicer place if there really were only 5,700 students on campus year round.
posted by Frank on May 2nd, 2006 at 1:47 pmAh, clean air!
posted by logtar on May 2nd, 2006 at 1:49 pm“The large number of sublets do make a change in police duties, he says. Rents for summer sublets usually are much cheaper than during the academic year, and the bargain might attract some undesirables, says Logghe. “We keep a list of problem sublet locations,'’ he says.”
Huh.
posted by Heidi on May 2nd, 2006 at 1:55 pmAnn Arbor is kind of like a house where two of your roommates leave every summer and just keep paying the rent without finding a subletter. Ann Arbor townies are basically the year-round renters complaining about how annoying it is that the two extra roommates have to come back every fall.
This article was better than most on the topic, though.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on May 2nd, 2006 at 2:01 pmWell, I’m just glad y’all “lend a certain frisson” to the air. I stopped reading after that point, even though I’m sure I’ve used that phrase more than once.
And as for the blog, I hardly ever post here anymore, but, for my money, it’s one of the best places for information and analysis on the local web. It gets whiny because there are things wrong with the town and some people simply want to make things better. Unfortunately, this often involves complaining, but all too often it’s necessary. Better that than just going with the flow and accepting everything as it comes. Good on ya, AAiO, I say.
posted by Lazaro on May 2nd, 2006 at 4:00 pmMaybe it’s time for a “Day without a Student” protest. Oh, wait… never mind.
posted by Dave on May 2nd, 2006 at 4:46 pmIs it actually that there are only 5,700 students living in town, or that only 5,700 are enrolled in spring-term courses? That number seems low… seems like at least fifty percent of grad students and upperclassmen stick around…
posted by Brandon on May 2nd, 2006 at 6:48 pmI say god riddance to bad rubbish. Those elitist bastards throw shitty keggers and take up all the good parking. If it weren’t for the good smoke they bring, I’d wish them to be gone forever.
posted by Dan on May 2nd, 2006 at 7:58 pm“Rents for summer sublets usually are much cheaper than during the academic year, and the bargain might attract some undesirables, says Logghe”
How typically Ann Arbor: poor = undesirable.
posted by Anna on May 3rd, 2006 at 8:11 amI remember my landlord on Packard a few years back warning us not to sublet to immigrants.
posted by Brandon on May 3rd, 2006 at 8:21 amI’ve always liked the ebb and flow of Ann Arbor’s population. The town changes. Slowly, but it at least it does change.
As for the blog, well, relentless positivism and good cheer may have their place, but for news and interesting discussion, I’d rather come here.
posted by anno on May 3rd, 2006 at 11:13 am30,000-odd students produce only 1.5% of the trash in a city of 110,000+? I guess I’ve missed out on the conspicuous-disposal parties by living in student neighborhoods. Clearly, the reason we never see all the Bentleys and Rolls is that people buy them for one drive to the landfill.
posted by expatriate austinite on May 3rd, 2006 at 12:21 pmI think the cops are referring to the infamous dwelling of panhandling crackheads who came to town last summer and subletted on Elizabeth Street. They were relentless.
posted by OFWinsurgent on May 3rd, 2006 at 3:59 pmDon’t they publish this same story every year?
Wouldn’t it be easier to just save it to the desktop and cut and paste when springtime rolls around?
Hell, I’m a student and I like the quietness of the summer*, but who honestly believes the town could sustain itself without the extra population for the other 3/4ths of the year? Delusional eliltist “real” townies?
The fact of the matter is, the student population supports the survival of those local businesses you like, and contribute to the existance of the cultural events you enjoy so much. It’s one thing to say “wow, the city’s quieter, that’s nice”, and another to despise the student population itself.
* even if I could hear Top of the Park noise inside of my house on Ann Street, windows and doors closed, the whole freakin’ season.
posted by Jen on May 3rd, 2006 at 6:03 pmsummers are nice and quiet, not to say i dont enjoy the daily taunts of “go back to highschool” from the college students while schools in.
sometimes they think they run this town…maybe they do…
posted by yoni on May 4th, 2006 at 9:14 pmWhich townies are (a.k.a. year-round renters — and owners) complaining about the students coming back? I love it. And I love it when they leave. It’s like different seasons.
This blog fascinates me. The whole time I was growing up, Ann Arbor was mercilessly lambasted by anyone who lived outside the city limit for being a town of nut and twig-eating filthy hippies. And now it’s lambasted for being a town of nut and twig-eating yuppies. It’ll never conform — it’ll never be a typical American town. I’d love it if Ann Arbor was like Flint or Jackson….NOT.
I’m curious — if you hate Ann Arbor so much, why do you live here? And if you don’t live here, why are you obsessing about it? Or is it that it just feels good to complain?
posted by Ran on May 10th, 2006 at 12:51 pmI’m sure AAiO, whoever he is, never thought about leaving.
posted by Dale on May 10th, 2006 at 12:57 pmFAQ.
posted by Anonymous on May 10th, 2006 at 1:33 pmIf the FAQs are still up to date grad school must be taking a long time…
posted by nymbani yangu on May 10th, 2006 at 3:30 pmdude, let’s not pour salt on the wounds, shall we?
posted by Heidi on May 10th, 2006 at 3:58 pmA lot of people aren’t informed about what a PhD program involves, so I could see why it might seem like a long time to them.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on May 10th, 2006 at 6:38 pmkeep up the good work Doc…
posted by nymbani yangu on May 11th, 2006 at 8:57 amyour FAQ states that Ann Arbor is “constantly referred to as the “manhattan of the midwest”. constantly? i’ve lived here for sixteen years, and the only time i’ve ever heard or read that is here on this blog.
posted by guest on May 18th, 2006 at 12:01 amhas anyone actually heard someone say that?
No. hahahah
posted by Anonymous on May 29th, 2006 at 1:25 pmI’m so glad I found this blog. I try to stay positive about Ann Arbor, but when I read articles like this one (that might as well be published identically each year) I’m glad that I’ve decided to move to Canton later this summer. As a UM doctoral student and year-round resident, I’d like to have a sense of community where I live. But why must I live in a town that is ant-student and charges me an obscene amount of money for a mediocre apartment?
Let’s face it, Ann Arbor wouldn’t be much of anything without UM. Ypsi relied on the auto industry for much of its prosperity, and with the downfall of the industry the city looks like it’s feeling the effects of it. Ann Arbor should be glad that the university is here and catalyzed a viable economy that keeps homeowners’ property values strong.
So I guess the locals drove me out of town, but now I’ll be driving one more car through town and taking precious parking away from locals when I have to come to campus in the fall.
posted by Anonymous on June 3rd, 2006 at 6:40 pm