Our opinion: Look to the past to honor Rathskeller’s remaining future

So what is the real deal with the Rathskeller? According to the their Web site, the last event on the schedule is a regular “tailgate” the day of the Georgia Tech game on Nov. 20. If the reports are to believed, our beloved watering hole will be closing its doors for the last time on Dec. 5. It is true that there will be one final “Last Call” on whatever day the Rat shuts down. 

While that is good news, there’s an inherent problem in that fact. If there’s a big shebang for the  big day (as there should be), it should be publicized ad nauseum. Even though we’re a month away, the university should take the initative to drill it into the student body’s head. Drill baby, drill!

But one big event just doesn’t seem enough for such a large part of our collective experience here at UM. It’s almost sad to see this prized possession (for ages 21+) leave us without a huge goodbye. So here at The Miami Hurricane, we’ve thought long and hard about what we can do to take the Rat out with a bang (to compensate for the lack of “bang” at the boat burning).

If you were on campus for homecoming and decided to wander away from the concert or the free pizza, you probably made it over to the Rat to watch the fireworks. If you could manage to keep your eyes open long enough, you couldn’t have missed the excitement raging from inside the caged-in ‘skeller. The $2 beers and the “Last Call” pitchers were a hit among alumni and students alike. The party went on until 1 a.m. as waiters and managers had to usher the straggling drunkards along.

Isn’t that what we should all want the Rathskeller to be? Our hang-out, our very own special spot to tell generations to come. At one time, the Rathskeller was the place to be, a veritable night club to rival anything on South Beach. In its last month of life, why don’t we try to recapture that one last time?

Even if it’s for only one blowout week, something must be done. Our chance for memory-making is quickly fading away. And if there’s one way we students know how to say goodbye, it’s bottoms up.