In elementary school, 10 years before I even considered applying to Boston College, I was vaguely aware, thanks to my family members that, for some reason, the city of Newton was passionately opposed to any construction on McElroy Commons. Ten years later, the city of Allston-Brighton has been more than willing to take Newton's pertinacious place.

My question becomes this: Did our neighbors in Allston-Brighton somehow miss the large Gothic architecture buildings labeled with BC signs when they moved into the neighborhood? BC has been on its current campus for 95 years, so it's highly unlikely any of the residents of Allston-Brighton were unaware that they were moving in next to a major university when they chose their current homes.

This does not excuse some behavior on the side of BC students; neighbors who acknowledge the presence of BC should not be woken up in the middle of the night by raucous parties on residential streets or forced to clean beer cans off their lawn on Sunday mornings, but neighbors should not be surprised that there is a large population of undergraduates who, not unexpectedly, will go out on the weekends.

Yet, somehow the social lives of BC students have become the overriding factor in construction negotiations with Brighton. It would be nice if the residents of Allston-Brighton could acknowledge that having a major intellectual nexus in their neighborhood is not all bad. While BC's presence does bring undergraduates who enjoy their weekends in the area, it also contributes nightly speakers on diverse topics, an art museum, a library with over 1.4 million books, a theater that hosts a multitude of performances every week, and nationally ranked athletic events; all things that are open to the public, often at no cost.

What does come at a cost is BC's 10-year plan, a $1.6 billion effort to better the University. In addition to increasing the range of academics and activities available to undergraduates and the community, BC is also spending precious funds to increase the number of students on campus per the city of Boston's new recommendation.

Unfortunately, putting more students on campus is not enough for the neighborhood of Allston-Brighton. They also want to decide when, where, and how we do so. A popular opinion of the surrounding neighborhoods demands that BC add additional stories to residence halls on the Chestnut Hill campus to dissolve the need for housing on the Brighton Campus. I ask that our neighbors in Allston-Brighton take a look around their area and note how the current high rises in the area, including Walsh Hall, Edmond's Hall, and even Reservoir Towers, stick out like sore thumbs.

BC and the neighborhoods surrounding BC take pride in their safe, suburban location. In other words, this is not downtown Boston, and in veering away from high rise residence halls, BC is reflecting that quality of the area. I also wonder how Mayor Thomas M. Menino would react if I asked him to just pave over the Boston Commons and build high rises in an effort to stop urban sprawl. By supporting the demands of Allston-Brighton, Mayor Menino is asking BC to sacrifice the aesthetics of our campus in order to preempt a questionable "intrusion."

Currently, BC boasts a beautiful, active campus that offers myriad opportunities for all who choose to get involved, both undergraduates and community members. If my only experience with BC were empty beer bottles on my front lawn, I would probably be hesitant to invite the average undergrad into my neighborhood. But I ask those who so actively oppose residences on the Brighton Campus to look at both sides of the story and come to BC on a weeknight. Come to a lecture or discussion, a dance show or a play, and take full measure of everything that BC's presence offers to your neighborhood.

In the end, BC is not "intruding" on Brighton, Allston, Newton, or Chestnut Hill; we are a part of this community and have been for 95 years. It's about time our neighbors recognized that.

Kelly McCartney is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences.