Tonight, fireworks over the Loyola campus for some reason. No hardcore partying on the 3rd floor just yet, though it is only the first week. The neighbors on the other side of my bedroom are pretty quiet these days--either because they've matured a bit in the last three years, or are just now of age and can go drink loudly in bars. (I also think the DUDE! guy moved out, who was the noisiest and now it's only girls, who tend to giggle less when no males are present.) The rest of the floor, judging from the number of move-outs in May, will be newbies, probably freshmen. No doubt very soon the yelling drunk girl yelling and sidewalk fights will soon commence. I did notice when I signed my lease that there's now a pretty hefty fine imposed if you get busted for noisiness. Maybe that will deter some of it. I do miss the day when more grown-ups lived here, though...
Meanwhile I try to counter it by making as much noise as I can at whatever hour myself, which is therapeutic in a way. This includes singing along at the top of my lungs, slamming my door, noisy AM sex, reading poetry loudly in bed before I go to sleep, banging pots and dishes, blasting oh so unhip nineties grunge out the windows, and watching Buffy at top volume, along with various horror films with lots of screaming, ominous music, etc...
