According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a townie is defined as "a townsman as distinct from a member of the University." According to Urban Dictionary - ah, back to normal - a townie is someone in England, aged 11-15, who wears "dodgy Adidas tracksuits" and has frosted tips. Though English tracksuit culture is my area of expertise, this definition is a little outside of this article's scope. Often, when we hear the word "townie" in Charlottesville, it pejoratively refers to someone who sticks out against the pastel Vineyard Vines backdrop and who just "should not" be hanging around the Corner. One test to measure "towniehood:" can he or she belt every word to "Wagon Wheel" while simultaneously acing an accounting midterm? If not, red flag. I argue, however, that University students are actually the ones impeding on Charlottesville ground, and indeed the ones who look more out of place than Ozzy Osbourne at a nun convention. But, now that I think harder...
In these past few weeks I have ventured off Grounds more than usual, going to Pantops, the Downtown Mall and Belmont. At a Ray LaMontagne concert downtown on a Thursday night, the Charlottesville community was out in true form: drunk, in cowboy boots and belting along to Ray. Then again, so were the students, but there was still a noticeable gap between us and them and we were certainly the minority. Young townspeople around the mall were dressed stylishly on their way to swanky, real bars - meaning, only 21 and up - and generally looked much cooler than we did. Also, the townswomen did not wear over-the-shoulder bags. This fashion statement of the non-University world scares me more than unemployment does: I will lose anything that is not attached to my body at all times. The nightlife was vibrant, as were the characters.
While this experience challenged my Virginian-centric view of the universe, the trip to Belmont truly reinforced the notion that it is not OK to be a typical sorority girl anywhere but between Old Cabell Hall and Grady Avenue. As I walked into Belmont Barbeque for the first time - check that baby off the "to do before graduation" list - I had just exited from a car blasting Taylor Swift and was with four typical University girls. The girl who took our order was awesome, but I was acutely aware of how she might perceive my group of sorority sisters. And then we started talking about smart phones. If I had any doubt about her judgment, this conversation topic sealed the deal. I awkwardly did not contribute to the conversation, but then my friend thankfully said to the waitress, "Wow, sorry, this is the most obnoxiously U.Va. conversation ever." Then she laughed again - at us or with us, we may never know.
Belmont Barbeque stands right across from The Local and, well, it is called The Local for a reason. Sure, our university puts Charlottesville on the map, but not every person in Albemarle County owes us something. I am the first to espouse the exploration of Charlottesville outside of the University's territory, but we also need to realize that "townies" are actually residents and they have more of a right than anyone to view us as, "students, as distinct from members of the community."
E.P.'s column runs biweekly Tuesdays. She can be reached at e.stonehill@cavalierdaily.com.
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