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Sat. March 31, 2007, 10:58am PDT
What a napkin can say about Tacoma
On our way home from work yesterday Sarah and I stopped off at Farrelli's for some tasty pizza pie and their to-die-for (or from) ranch. The place is often crammed with UPS students and last night was no exception. A group of three students sat nearby and one was drawing on napkin after napkin. They were jokingly discussing what to put on there but overhearing tidbits here and there didn't add up to anything that made sense to me. They left just before us and, not unlike another recent heist, my curiosity overcame me and I swiped the leftover sketches.
What did I find? I found the sad perspective of someone not too fond of his school-time home of Tacoma. Here's a sample:
Wow. And there's more below. So what does this tell us? Are our local colleges not doing a good job getting students off campus so they can get to know Tacoma and what it has to offer? Is Tacoma just dreadfully lacking in things to do for 18-21 year olds? Do we even want students like that to stick around after graduation or head back to the sunny land from whence they came?
Comments (19) | To Top
3/31/2007 @ 2:27pm
Those are hysterical. I've actually seen that sign for Teriyaki/Boring Bar/Nowhere while sleepwalking. The C130 is rad too.
by sparkrobot
3/31/2007 @ 2:37pm
"Are our local colleges not doing a good job getting students off campus so they can get to know Tacoma and what it has to offer?"
Apparently the one redeeming factor they found in Tacoma was the Teriyaki.
As for the rain....
by Erik
3/31/2007 @ 6:02pm
Someone appears disgruntled over the poor ski season...understandable for a transplant student. But that's not Tacoma's fault!
by AP
4/1/2007 @ 2:45pm
Whatever.I went to college in Tacoma, but hung around with mostly people who had come from somewhere else to attend. I remember how it was cool to them to bash Tacoma, in that (fronting as) uber-hip, I'm SO too cool for this place sort of way.
These are the same people who could count on one hand the number of times they left the cozy brick and ivy of campus in four years and had no idea what they were talking about.
Unfortunately, I'm still friends with some of these people, who have of course scattered in all directions. They haven't been back to Tacoma in 10 years, but they have all kinds of opinions about what my neighborhood (Hilltop) is like.
by ZestyJenny
4/1/2007 @ 2:48pm
This reminds me of a line in that song by Atmosphere, in their ode to Minneapolis:
"It sucks that you think where I'm from is whack,
but that's okay if that's enough to keep your ass from comin' back."
I've go no time for Tacoma haters.
by ZestyJenny
4/1/2007 @ 7:44pm
These napkins are hysterical....too bad more eavesdropped conversations don't leave napkins behind.
I love they needed a napkin for their math...shows the schools are doing their job.
by Sharon Steyr
4/2/2007 @ 9:22am
My goodness! I must have been feeling feisty yesterday!
I meant that my friend's opinions of Tacoma are unfortunate, not the friendships themselves. :)
by ZestyJenny
4/2/2007 @ 11:19pm
I like teriyaki! :)
And really, if they think it's rainy in UPS-land, they really should hike up to UW.
by TheDamnMushroom
4/5/2007 @ 10:12am
um, these are amazing. i don't know why everyone has to go the opposite way so much with their love for tacoma that they can't see when things are effed up. its little things like this that are true commentary on our town that should open our eyes.
by something else
4/5/2007 @ 11:47am
I totally agree. I think these are real perspectives and we need to hear that and find ways to better this area for everyone -- minorities, the working poor, and even college students.
by KevinFreitas
4/5/2007 @ 12:40pm
yah, it seems like we all do a lot of talking about things, and are fast to congratulate ourselves when we take a baby step. and we have come a long way in the past 5 years or so, but in the last 6 months, i've noticed a major shift back the other way.
by something else
11/15/2007 @ 10:57pm
college in san jose isnt much better (well, besides the weather)..... cant comment on the teriyaki but i sure miss tacoma :(
by philgeek
4/9/2008 @ 10:47am
i graduated from ups and now work several ups students. for some reason there is a negative perspective of tacoma and the concept of being a "t-loc" (tacoma local - as if it were a plague?!). somehow the students are able to live in the ups bubble without ever venturing out. i am sure they would be surprised if they explore the real tacoma.
by and so the story goes
4/9/2008 @ 11:32am
PLU was the same way when I was there. It's called the Lute Dome. Though there are more efforts to get students engaged with downtown Tacoma there's still a huge distance between campus and the city. It's a shame, too, 'cause especially now there's tons of great stuff happening. I hardly ever ventured off campus beyond Fred Meyer or the bank let along trying out some of the great events and eateries Tacoma has to offer. Hopefully UPS isn't quiet as bad with their proximity to 6th Ave. and the newer Farrelli's and Origin 23.
by KevinFreitas
4/9/2008 @ 7:47pm
Why did they make 5 of the same drawing?
by Peter
4/9/2008 @ 7:50pm
perhaps it is some form of crazy napkin animation with a very low frame rate?
by RR Anderson
4/10/2008 @ 8:40am
They were drunk college students with apparently nothing better to do there at Farrelli's. Shame they didn't channel that energy into picking up women there 'cause then maybe they'd have a sunnier outlook on Tacoma. ;)
by KevinFreitas
4/13/2008 @ 1:34am
yeah, i have to agree with what they are saying.
I was just at the Ballard artwalk and the streets were lined with hip funky stores, cool resteraunts, cafes, chai houses, and the streets were filled with people.
On our artwalk, there isn't a 10th of the activity or commerce.
I overhear this basic conversation in the store frequently:
"what do you want to do after this?"
"go to Magoos?"
"No, I'm sick of that place..."
"i guess we could just go to the mall."
Really i feel sorry for them. After they visit urbanXchange and maybe drop by The Blackwater or The Helm, if it's open, I can't think of anything they might do after 7pm.
The smart kids have tons of house parties including rocking music shows, but you have to be in the circle to get invited, and 99% of the local college population isn't.
by j
4/25/2008 @ 11:28am
Hey- not all UPS students hate Tacoma! I feel bad that these students are representing the rest of us. Personally I love it here. Mt. Rainier, Point D, Ruston, Rosewood, 6th, Thai food, Pentages Theatre, Proctor, Chihuly glass everywhere, and some gorgeous views of the Sound. I'm a science major and I love having field labs at Point Defiance! Those kids must have skipped orientation or something because I'm pretty sure I've been aware of some great things Tacoma has to offer since day 1 at UPS.
by A. Boyd