They’re baaaack!
The students at N.C. State have poured back into Raleigh for the start of the fall semester.
Did we miss them this summer?
Um, not so much. While they were gone, things were a little calmer, a little cleaner, and a little quieter. We could actually drive down Hillsborough Street—even with all of the intense construction of the soon-to-be new-and-improved Hillsborough Street. All the streets near campus were wide and clear, free of all the parked cars. And driving near the campus without having any close encounters with pedestrians is a special treat. We could even eat at the restaurants and frequent the businesses on Hillsborough Street. I mean find a place to park and everything! No long lines of scholars at the Harris Teeter weighed down by cheap twelve-packs, either. So yeah, we enjoy their summer vacation, too.
Raleigh has plenty going on even without a university of twenty-thousand-plus students. We’re the state capitol. We have the Research Triangle Park. Our economy doesn’t rise and fall on the backpacks of college students.
But the heart of our city just may. With our NCSU students back in town, Raleigh is a richer, more vibrant city, humming with creativity. Serious creativity. Barrel Monster, anyone? We’re younger, hipper, and smarter. The brain power, enthusiasm, and sheer energy concentrated in that part of our city makes Raleigh a better and more exciting place to be.
Memories of long, carefree college days come flooding back at the sight of all these throngs of young Wolfpackers. Who can see all these young adults and not wax nostalgic about the Ed’s Grocery of yesteryear and the Circus Room at Darryl’s? Add to that the fact that Sidney Lowe is back on campus, and I feel young again and ready to hit that Brickyard for another celebration! Yep, I was there when Sidney brought it home last time.
So welcome back, N.C. State. We’re glad you’re here. Go Wolfpack!
But about that large group of male NCSU students living in the house directly across the street from my home and my two teenaged daughters—well, I’ll save that for another day.
That’s Life in Raleigh.