Moonies is without a doubt the best, worst bar on campus

If you’re an IC student, you’ve probably spent the first three years of your college career hopping around Circles or dragging yourself to South Hill for house parties. But once you turn 21, the idea of sticky floors in sweaty houses just doesn’t do it anymore.

Every school has its low-key favorite bar. As much as they cringe at the mention of the name, this place is never not an option. Moonies: a seven letter word that strings along some of the best and worst memories.

Moonshine Tavern is the first and the last place we think about when deciding what to do that evening. But let’s be honest, we all enjoy the occasional sweaty, nasty nights spent grinding to DJ Washburn’s new mixes. It’s a love, hate relationship.

The typical conversation that ends up at Moonies goes like this:

Friend One: Well there aren’t that many house parties going on, or they are all about to get raided

Friend Two: We can stay home and drink? There’s nothing else to do

Simultaneous group thought: Moonies?

You all end up in Moonies

When asked about the infamous bar, senior, Michael Levine told The Tab: “I hate it because it’s stolen all the house parties and so many freshman, more of a ratchet college bar. But whether you love it or hate it, you have to go because you are a broke college student that can’t afford lot 10 prices.”

While senior, Melissa Strauss, said: “I hate Moonies because the slut boxes are taken before I get there, I wanna dance but there’s no time to breathe and the freshman crowd the one fan. I love running into people though.”

The golden rule to attend Moonies is that you have to be “well on your way” to have a great time. Once you think you’ve done enough liver damage, you run your way down South Aurora to be greeted by bouncers who try to act tough and make you feel intimidated.  But then you remember some of them are in your class and are really nice when not working.

Once, all of your friends are in,  it suddenly feels like you are walking out of the arrival terminal at the airport to be greeted by everyone you know. You’ll then spent 25 minutes trying to walk to the other side because the bar is so crazy full.

It usually lasts a solid 10 minutes before you decide you need to make your first of thirty bathroom runs. The bathroom runs where you stand in line for ages, compliment every girl, and have a photoshoot with the weird graffiti on the stalls.

The night goes on and before you even know it, you’re having the best or the worst night of your life in this melting pot of students.

There’s something about being in a crowded area with music and fishbowls being shoved in your face that makes us feel right.

Moonshine Tavern has its ups and its downs, but people bond more with things they hate than they love. Have you ever walked through the commons during the day and actually looked at Moonies?

This place has it all. You can’t visit Ithaca College and not love Moonies.