Party Culture
Isla Vista, California
By Hope Curran
This strip of land with an island view
Is up to nothing new
Sober to tipsy
Tipsy to drunk
The whole town is caught in this strange funk
Drunk to blacked out
Blacked out to hung-over
What’s so great about saving the snowy plover
When there are kids dying
Overdoses to drunk driving
Driving parents crazy
Spending their life savings
On their alcoholic cravings
No one is even twenty one
But that doesn’t stop the fun
Shots and handles
Mixed with vigil light candles
What defines Isla Vista?
Will it be the party culture
Feasting on our youth like a vulture
A town so temporary
Could be so extraordinary
It takes those who strive
To be fully alive
Put down the bottle
Pick up your feet
Get out and clean up your street
Our image can be love not hate
It takes those who are willing to create.
Isla Vista seems to be sick… the symptoms are clear: drunken college students and a sense of lawlessness that permeates into everyday life. Stop signs ignored by bike riders, laws made up “but it’s because it’s Isla Vista”. When asked what the underlying issue of Isla Vista is, Police Chief Ryan Smith responded simply, “Alcohol”. He expanded on the nature of the drug and how it causes reckless and careless behavior. This behavior can result in a number of crimes and attract the wrong crowd to come visit IV. “Out-of-towners” come with the goal to party and leave our city a dump. Is blacking out really the memory (or lack thereof) that we want to mark our time spent in this special place? The community simply needs a fresh breath of creativity. Parties are good. I love them. But when it comes to abuse, recklessness, throwing up and destruction I’m not in. Can we have fun legally anymore?
It’s our time to take matters into our own hands. I am not saying no more fun. I’m saying let’s keep things local and under control. Let’s create communities of people that love one another not use and abuse each other. Let’s celebrate life while being fully conscious and aware. Do you dare?
