The Drop out Returns To Chico State
30 Years after the Pioneer Day Riots of 1987 which marked the year Chico State was rated the #1 Party School in America I return to explore the "Real" Chico State
A Return to Chico State in May of 2017 stirred to mind the day Chico State Was Named #1 Party School in America in the wake of the April 25, 1987 Infamous Riots
The cheap seats at Madison Bear Garden on April 25th were blocks away from the riots. I wasn't in the cheap seats :)
If you want to point the finger for the riots of April 25th at Chico State? Study your history. It was the March 1987 when Playboy Magazine named Chico State the number one Party School in America. Perhaps the men at "that" magazine doing a spread on the "girls" of Chico State? That led MTV to broadcast every train, plane and bus schedule into my then home
The infamous 1987 Riots Started on Fraternity Row at the intersection of 5th and Ivy
30 Years after the riots? 5th and Ivy is exactly what you'd expect it to be, a liquor store.
Campus Bridge from school life to party life. Chico State is well, still Chico State
Back when I attended Chico State? It was all about scheduling classes to accommodate one's drinking schedule. Many of us, myself included loaded all our classes onto a Tuesday and Thursday instead of the studious types who went in for the Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but that wouldn't work out if you were committed to your drinking? Well back in 1987 the year of the infamous riots? Everyone knew that the party was always started on Thursday night at the ironically named The Graduate. Locally? We just all showed up at "The Grad" on Thursday because you could get a $2 huge carafe named the "Gorilla Punch" because that drink packed such a punch you only needed one and you were well on your way to Friday at Madison Bear Garden for a cool down with some beer, and then on Saturday to keep a good thing going? How about some green beer at O'leary's?
So being it was a Saturday in Chico on April 25th 1987 I found myself where you could find me every Saturday. O'leary's on 5th street just a block from Ivy. Students were aware it was the annual "Pioneer Days" long weekend celebration, but for us? Every weekend was just another Pioneer Day. What weren't paying attention to? Anything that was happening outside of CSU Chico, like the fact that MTV had been broadcasting about the upcoming "celebration" with plane, bus, and train schedules and that thousands of "outsiders" were flooding into the college town literally in the middle of a bunch of Walnut Groves, and so when the riots actually hit? A Bunch of us were joking about the bonfire someone had set at the intersection of 5th and Ivy, but what made it funny? To those of us half or fully drunk at O'Leary's when the crowd was growing from outside of the Fraternity houses and they began to enter those fraternity houses and grab things like sofas and chairs and other furniture from inside the the frat houses and the bonfires? Well those of us inside the bar? "Serves those frat boys right" we laughed. It was hilarious to see the hazers getting hazed and then when the police descended in a Flying V formation and full riot gear? Hey the locked us in at O'Leary's and so we had nothing to do but watch the surreal scene and lift a green beer and cheer.
Despite the "Party School" Reputation? Chico State is really just laid back. On Any Given Hot Sunday? Studying is still done in the cool pools at Bear Hole
Current and Former Students will tell you the "real" Chico is at Bear Hole.
Visit Bidwell Mansion
Skip the poser's at the Country Club and their boring lunches and head for the hills
The sign may say rough road, but then in my "lived experience" since Chico State? It's the rough roads where you have all the fun. So pack your lunch and go out and hike!
If you really want to see what campus life is like at Chico State? You're going to have to go "off campus" and "off road" and park your car at the Upper Lot and hike the Yahi trail Upstream where you'll first see a sign for Alligator Hole, which is always more crowded, and so keep hiking further for the less crowded and more authentic "Chico" experience. Back in the day? We didn't drive to the lot. We mountain biked a lot and it wasn't uncommon back in the 80's to take a moonlight bike ride and swim in bear hole, but in the daylight? You'll get the idea.
If you want to see the real students studying at Bear Hole? You'll have live like a student and make the hike!
The Trail is dog friendly, and so bring your furry friends.
Keep Going past the lower Alligator Hole you'll ditch the crowds
Pressing up the Trail it's worth the hike you'll know you're getting close when you hear the students voices over the rapids
