We know what you’re thinking: We don’t have an island on campus. This minor detail aside, it is the general philosophy behind Carleton’s island parties that we should embrace: community-building fun in a non-academic setting. The fact that Oles continue to trek across Northfield to sneak into Carleton’s island parties week after week is a sad call for help. Even as Arbstock becomes a legend known only to the graduating senior class, the drive to Carleton and their omnipresent kegs intensifies.

An article in the Variety section this week could not make the situation any plainer: Carls don’t want Oles crashing their island parties. Not only do we drink too much and stick out of the crowd with our coordinated outfits and brushed hair, but we also trample a tradition that Carls revere – seniors hosting parties for their friends in celebration of their final weeks at college.

While we acknowledge the existence of traditional events like 100 Day March and Senior Week, we also believe that Oles need a venue on campus in which they can bond with the community before they leave, preferably over a drink or two. We love the Hill dearly and we would like to commemorate our time where we spent most of it – not in the Reub ‘n’ Stein or in the Cities, but rather on our beloved campus. Many of us have spent the past four years having parties behind closed doors. Wouldn’t it be nice to finally celebrate our community, quite literally, out in the open?

Now, on to that pesky problem of not having an island. We have multiple location suggestions: Mellby Lawn, the grassy fields behind Skoglund or even Old Main hill. We think that “lawn parties” and “hill parties” have a nice ring to them. Keep in mind that island parties are not blow-out events – they occur weekly and end before midnight. Thus, we are not suggesting the overhaul of our dry campus policy (well, maybe just a little bit), but rather a revision, or suspension of it.

As much as our proposal may sound like college students looking for yet another excuse to drink, we honestly believe that Ole island parties are a worthwhile suggestion. Through them, we might even learn how to drink responsibly, which could perhaps cut down on the frequency of complaints from Northfield residents and Carleton students about our noisy, rowdy behavior. Whether we decide to name them lawn parties or hill parties, one thing remains clear: It’s finally time for St. Olaf to party.

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