UD has the privilege of having quite possibly the quietest neighbors a college campus could. Campus is bordered on the east side by Woodland Cemetery. Although being surrounded by a graveyard is slightly creepy and provides for some interesting situations, such as the headstone making-business that is directly behind Stewart Garden Apartments, students should appreciate the cemetery and show it the respect it deserves.

With the graveyard, at least the east side of campus is usually quiet and relatively undisturbed, which enhances the peaceful and calm atmosphere as well. The peace provided by our deceased neighbors can be greatly appreciated by Stuart and VWK residents, who luckily do not have to face the problem of loud traffic and congested streets. This allows for quiet nights and the perfect ambiance for sand volleyball games on the court behind Stuart Complex.

Woodland Cemetery is also host to Dayton culture, something students should take advantage of, and has some hidden treasures which are largely unknown to UD students. The large graveyard is the resting place of deceased historical and cultural figures. The Wright brothers, poet Paul Laurence Dunbar and UD graduate Erma Bombeck are all buried in this cemetery. Also, something few people know about is that the highest point in Montgomery County is in the graveyard. This spot offers a spectacular view of the city and the surrounding areas.

Especially with Halloween approaching, the graveyard is a tempting playground for the bored college student: open spaces, 10-foot deep holes, little to no security and, of course, dead people. No matter how tempting, students need to keep in mind that they need to respect our deceased counterparts. This is especially true because of the assets the graveyard provides for the university, its students and campus overall. Along with respecting the deceased, students need to remember to respect those mourning their family and friends who have passed away. Although you may pay large amounts of money to live on campus, do not act as if you own the place. No matter how unusual it may be for a student in the Darkside to see a funeral procession drive by, or how odd it is for a Stuart or VWK resident to look out their window and see a funeral or a grave site being dug, students need to be respectful. The little things count. Turn down your music when driving behind VWK and most of all remember that the cemetery is not the place for drunken or sober debauchery; that's why we have the Ghetto.