Let’s face it. It sucks to be under 18 years old in America, but it’s almost as bad to be between 18 and 21 years old. It’s not just being denied alcohol; a whole world of nightlife is out of this group’s grasp. Perhaps some restrictions are necessary, but if these limitations prevail, equally satisfying options should be offered to this age group.
The 18 to 20 age range encompasses many freshmen and sophomores and even some juniors at the University. These individuals are less likely to have transportation on campus and more likely to want to go out on the weekend. Oftentimes, younger students are attracted to nightlife when they enter college.
The 18- to 20-year-old students at the University soon realize the majority of entertainment is unavailable. Most nightclubs are only open to those under 21 on Thursday nights, when many freshmen and sophomores have classes early the next morning. Bars are obviously restricted to those 21 and older. Absent of bars and clubs, the only thing open during a suburban adult’s night is the Waffle House.
Downtown Raleigh has come a long way over the past few years—developmental projects have resulted in visible improvements in the past decade. Skyscrapers like the RBC Bank tower now line the city, painting an attractive landscape at night, and Fayetteville reopened to vehicular traffic in 2006. Several new restaurants appeared in the heart of downtown and on weekends, Raleigh looks alive.
All in all, Raleigh now resembles a thriving capital, a real downtown. However, it still doesn’t market well to the majority of undergraduate students. Raleigh houses the largest public university in the state, as well as a well-populated community college, yet its downtown doesn’t seem to cater at all to this population — unless the students are over 21.
Granted, there are some attractions in downtown Raleigh available to those under 21. On the first Friday of every month, restaurants and museums are open late and are packed with Raleigh residents of all ages. Many attended First Friday on numerous occasions during high school and always had a great time. If more events like First Friday existed during the year, Raleigh would find a sharp increase in revenue and popularity.
Raleigh has also housed a growing number of well known and lesser-known music artists over the past decade, especially with the recent addition of the new amphitheater. However, most of these concert venues, along with clubs, charge individuals under 21 a certain fee because they will not purchase any alcohol.
There is also the concern of safety because many underage individuals drink illegally. These individuals likely attend concerts and clubs in downtown Raleigh, but face the choice of either driving drunk or paying for a taxi each time they go out. Raleigh simply does not consider this population of people in their design of downtown. Our public transportation system is weak but does get certain people to work. It does almost nothing for people looking for entertainment.
The new City Council members elected yesterday should encourage further development in downtown Raleigh, but the pre-existing businesses and organizations should introduce more entertainment opportunities for college students under 21. More opportunities would increase revenue for these businesses and allow fun, safe alternatives for students under 21.
