As I See It
Good luck and good riddance
The city of La Crosse benefits greatly from having three institutions of higher learning. Thousands of students call La Crosse home while they spend four or more years earning their degrees. They pour millions of dollars into the local economy during their time here, keeping the registers ringing at stores, restaurants and bars. But at some point it is time for them to go. And that time is coming soon. This is finals week, and over the next couple of weeks those who have finished their education will be setting out to embark on a career, or perhaps move to their parent’s basement. We wish them luck, and hope they enjoyed their time in La Crosse. But frankly, as much as I enjoy how much vibrancy these young people add to our community, it is time for them to go. I enjoy summers in La Crosse, when things are a little less crowded, and messy, and loud. I have students living in my neighborhood, and for the most part they are good neighbors. But with the weather warming and school responsibilities finished, they’ll go out with a bang with their yard parties and pub crawls. They’ll leave behind a mess as they take their next steps. We appreciate what these students bring to the community. I also appreciate it when they leave for a few months.
Rabbi Brian Serle
May 8, 2023 at 8:49 am
I certainly agree with some of what Mr. Shaw says. It certainly is nicer without the noise, trash and traffic. But I must say that these students add so much to our community, both financially and socially.
Many of these students volunteer to help the homeless, the poor, the hungry, the disabled. Most of them do NOT leave trash all over the place. We can’t condemn all students for the poor behavior of the few. By and large, our student population are wonderful neighbors and citizens. More important, in Wisconsin cities that DON’T have a few colleges, their economies are weaker, their opportunities are less and their problems are greater. In “rust belt” smaller Wisconsin cities that have lost much of their manufacturing base, the younger generation has looked to larger places (Twin Cities, Milwaukee, Chicago) for their future careers and to raise their families. We are so lucky to have thousands of students here, and our medical clinics, that continue to make our region a strong one. Thank you, Viterbo, Western and UW-L!
Tom
May 8, 2023 at 9:02 am
They’ll leave behind a mess…
These perpetrators are indoctrinated to be Dems. This is what Dems do.
Nate
May 8, 2023 at 3:03 pm
Get off my lawn!