Last Monday, State College Borough Council and area residents convened to discuss an important issue affecting the community — noise. To be more specific, they discussed noise generated by Penn State students.

While State College is a college town and noise can be expected, some residents have complained that disturbances this year are the worst they have ever been.

There might be some truth to this statement, but some of the evidence brought before the council members was more than a little bit biased.

One resident brought in a recording he made early on a Sunday morning on the 300 block of East Beaver Avenue, which depicted all the debauchery that he said kept him awake during the evening.

Noise on Beaver Avenue on the weekends?

This is Penn State, commonly referred to as a drinking town with a football problem. However, the residents in some of the areas considered to be "obnoxious" where noise is concerned are primarily those areas housing university students and not permanent State College citizens.

If noise is a big deal to someone, he or she should settle down somewhere far off-campus, whether he or she is seeking permanent or temporary residence.

But something else commonly passed off is the idea that students are the only sources of noise in the area.

While the percentage of State College residents that occasionally cause a ruckus is significantly less than the student population, violations by permanent residents do occur.

For example, noisy squabbles between older couples often permeate through walls in apartment complexes, and students aren't the only ones who play their music loud or create a lot of noise during televised football games.

But the issue does have two sides.

Students need to remember that this is a community full of residents who were here well before they were and will be here long after they leave. The rights of others need to be respected.

Despite what some may believe, it is possible to slam back a few beers and have a good time without letting everyone within a quarter-mile radius know about it. And it might not be the best idea to blare the new Outkast CD at 1 a.m.

Considering that noise often breeds more noise, if one student house in a residential area exhibits a proficiency in decibels, it's almost certain that other students in the area will take that as a sign that it's okay to be loud and obnoxious.

But more often than not, it isn't. And policemen around the area are all ready to levy $300 fines for any example of noise topping 58 decibels — the minimum amount needed to be considered a violation.

Party hearty, Penn State, but have a little courtesy with your revelry.