Students know the negative connotation the word townie carries, but few seem to consider how Athens residents view them.
As Ohio University student enrollment increases, more upperclassmen are living in neighborhoods that mostly were populated by Athens residents.
Joanne Prisley, Athens County Historical Society and Museum curator, graduated from OU and returned 40 years ago to live in Athens. Her neighborhood comprised mostly permanent residents, but that has changed in the last five years, she said.
Just recently
there's not that many of us left Prisley said.
She has been involved with students and the university for many years and believes that students have been getting out of hand in the past years.
It's getting worse and worse I think
she said. They party now all week long.
Prisley said young people lack consideration for others. She said she tries to talk to student neighbors who are causing problems, but is not afraid to call the police.
Mostly the problem is that they're drinking too much and they think that's supposed to be an excuse for bad manners
but I don't think so
she said.
She blamed students' bad manners on their parents.
My question is: When do they go to class and when do they study? Prisley said. They don't go to class
and they're wasting their parents' money.
She also said students are making their neighborhoods look like slums.
They could be a little neater about their houses
Prisley said. They always have trash and those sofas on the porch. I hate those.
There is never-ending conflict between the university and the residents, said Laura Zielinski, a sophomore and graduate of Athens High School.
Students take over the town
get drunk and trash it
Zielinski said.
I'm proud to be a townie
Zielinksi added. Yes
