With the nice weather comes big campus events. At the University of Minnesota, Spring Jam celebrates spring with activities students can participate in, but it also entails a lot of boozing.

Over at the University of Wisconsin, students skip the organized activities and get right to the partying with the annual spring event, Mifflin. Many University students typically attend both Spring Jam and Mifflin, but this year the two fall on the same weekend, leaving Minnesota students in a bind.

For those who donâÄôt know what Mifflin is, allow me to enlighten you. It is an annual block party that takes place on Mifflin Street in Madison, Wis. There are house parties galore. Some begin drinking at 6 a.m. and hit Mifflin Street by 8 a.m. for more. It doesnâÄôt matter if you know the people living in the houses or not âÄî people there tend to be pretty friendly. Responsible drinking is encouraged, but that doesnâÄôt always happen âÄî last year, detox facilities were completely filled.

For any big campus event, drinking is going to be prevalent. Just like students at Madison, Minnesota students donâÄôt always have responsible drinking as their No. 1 priority.

However, Spring Jam has a student-led committee that plans the events which students can participate in and attend. There will be a dance competition, a service project and of course, the headliner concert that features a big-name band. It doesnâÄôt have to all be beer pong and keg stands if you donâÄôt want it to.

So what will you decide?

One University senior, Martha Mackmiller, made her choice. Mifflin Shmifflin. SheâÄôs all for the Gophers pride and celebrating warm weather here with friends. A three-time veteran of Spring Jam, she said, “I believe in supporting our campus, and itâÄôs just as good or better to stay here.”

Whatever you choose, make sure to celebrate spring with people you can tolerate (even if they are cheese heads) and put off thinking about finals for just a bit longer.

Katie Wielgos welcomes comments at [email protected]