Karaoke at OTT on Wednesdays: A place for all those of age who just can’t wait until Thursday for the weekend to officially begin downtown. For those of you under age who do not know of the beauty that is the Old Town Tavern, or OTT (pronounced Oh-Tee-Tee) as it has become known, let me explain.

The OTT is a local Goleta bar located not far from the Taco Bell on Hollister Avenue. Nothing is particularly special about this little local tavern. That is, not until Wednesday. On Wednesday, karaoke night at the OTT attracts half of the drinking age population of Isla Vista all looking to make fools of themselves on stage – and it is glorious. The beer and Jaeger shots flow like wine and the women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I highly recommend it to you young ones, when you turn 21 of course.

Now, having said that, I’d like to address an idea brought up in Sean Swaby’s last edition of 40 oz. to Freedom entitled “Mix Biking With Beer.” (Daily Nexus, Feb. 24, 2006) While I agree completely that biking to the OTT is a wonderful way to transport oneself to and from the best place to be each and every Wednesday night, for the more adventurous, might I recommend a more daring mission – Walking back from the OTT.

While I’ll admit, the prospect of walking back does not appear that attractive at first, it does have its perks. First of all, and this goes for biking to the Tavern as well, you don’t have to choke up an arm and a leg for a three minute taxi ride home. And if you’re like me, between all of the necessary expenses of college these days – tuition, books, food, rent and beer – there is hardly enough left to go towards a taxi. Further, so long as one is not too drunk, walking home from the Tavern is much safer than biking home or even worse, being an idiot and driving home, and it is much more legal. Let’s not forget that one can get a bicycling under the influence – not fun.

However – economic and legal benefits aside – the walk home from the OTT is a drunken adventure well worth the effort. Along the way you can share stories with your friends about the night at the Tavern and the entire time you can laugh when you think of how ludicrous it was to walk home in the first place. In the end, you’ll have the honor of being among the very few who have stumbled home from the OTT.

My friends and I make this trek more often than not. We’ve even expanded this idea to other locales. In fact, my neighbor, Connor Tillman, pioneered the idea when he first walked back from Zodo’s by himself about a year ago. My housemates added their own touch to the walk back. Instead of turning towards Isla Vista at El Colegio, the two continued on Hollister all the way to Jack in the Box for some late night nutrition. And a god among men, my neighbor Eric Scheppmann, took the idea of stumbling home from the bars a step further. I shit you not, Eric walked all the way home from downtown late last Thursday night. Starting a little after two in the morning, he returned to Isla Vista via the left-foot-right-foot-express by 7 a.m.

So, if you’re up for it, you’ve got the time and you don’t have the cash, you should definitely consider walking home from the Tavern. I know it sounds like a dumb idea, but hey, we are in college. I’m sure it has been said before in the Daily Nexus, but it is worth repeating: You only get these four years – or five in some people’s case – to do stupid things without any social consequences. After college, things like walking home three miles from the bars will be considered signs of a drinking problem. So, do them while you still can.

Caley Heekin is a senior mathematics and philosophy major.