April is a great time to be around the University of Maine: The snow is finally melting, the weather is getting warmer and students can finally go outside to enjoy the wealth of non-academic benefits going to college in Maine presents before cramming for finals begins. At UMaine, this season has come to be associated with Chickenfest, a musical event semi-secretly organized by students looking to let loose and enjoy themselves.

But Chickenfest has gained notoriety, and not the good kind, among the public. Drug use, sexual assault, underage alcohol consumption and property destruction are all actions that have occurred at the event in years past. The location of the event is kept closely guarded until the carefully orchestrated reveal, but it usually takes place in a rural area, making it hard for police to respond to potentially serious crimes. This makes not only the police very nervous but the public, too.

And they have a right to be nervous, because the actions that transpire at the party affect them. Not only was last year’s event marred by suicide but cleanup cost Maine taxpayers an estimated $30,000. The landowners also closed off their property to the public due to the destruction;everyone lost the privilege to enjoy the beauty of Maine due to the actions of a few. Trials for those convicted of drinking and driving also cost the public money, as does the overtime pay of officers dispatched to the area to make sure no serious accidents occur.

Public safety is the prerogative of the police. But in situations where law enforcement isn’t present, it’s up to individuals to make sure that no one’s health is endangered. This means that students who choose to attend and participate in Chickenfest need to be aware of what’s going on around them and think about how their actions might affect others. And, although no one wants to be the one who ruins the party by calling the police, it’s much better to have safety guaranteed than to have the event marred by tragedy, as it was last year. The illegality and extremity of many of the actions surrounding the event are what fuels public condemnation.

Everyone wants to be able to have fun and enjoy the diverse benefits of being a member of the UMaine community. After all, students work hard and deserve a chance to enjoy themselves. But it’s important to do so without interfering with anyone else’s well being, whether that is in the form of the public’s ability to enjoy Maine’s rural beauty or the understanding that getting behind the wheel after a few beers can have serious consequences. No student wants to have their college experience, academic or extracurricular, tarnished with a serious mark on their record or their conscience.

It’s all right to go out and cut loose with friends. Just remember that actions carry consequences, some of them rather serious.