Staying busy during the weekends is one thing college students seem to crave.

And students and residents of the college towns of East Lansing and Ann Arbor always have argued about which town better fills those nightly gaps between the end of classes and the beginning of another day.

But there likely is no answer to that endless predicament. University of Michigan students always will be the arrogant, think-they’re-smarter-than-us crowd to MSU students, while MSU students often are seen as the party-hard, didn’t-get-accepted-to-U-M, just-a-cow-college types.

But as U-M sophomore Jared Borriello sat at the bar of The Brown Jug Restaurant, 1204 S. University Ave. in Ann Arbor, he brushed aside those stereotypes.

“Ann Arbor’s centered around the university, and that’s one of the first things I realized,” the New York native said. “But wherever you go to college, you’ll have fun. It’s more about your friends than where you are.”

Borriello said although he enjoys the variety of clubs, restaurants and bars Ann Arbor has to offer, he could have fun anywhere.

“I like going out with my friends and having conversations,” he said. “I’ve gotten past the stage where I want to go to a club and party my ass off. I’m sure if I was in East Lansing, I’d do the same thing.”

At first glance, it might seem Ann Arbor has East Lansing beat entertainmentwise. The city has 115 on-premise liquor licenses, which include venues such as clubs, restaurants and bars.

East Lansing has 25.

But Jim van Ravensway, director of planning and community development for East Lansing, said it’s easy to look past that.

“There is a huge difference between Ann Arbor and East Lansing, which has a huge influence on how businesses operate and what the night life is going to be like,” he said. “In Ann Arbor, there is a physical difference between downtown Ann Arbor and the campus-orientated areas.

“You get a completely different atmosphere in Ann Arbor. When you hang out on South U., you really sense you’re in a university area, but if you walk five blocks to the west, you’re in, like, a different world.”

Van Ravensway said the combination of student-oriented spots and places popular with East Lansing residents creates a different atmosphere for those experiencing a night on the town.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“The geography creates a significant difference on the feel of the two different places,” he said. “They talk about Ann Arbor having great ethnic restaurants and we’re getting our fair share, too. We’re a little slower, but if you look at downtown East Lansing, we’re building an investment of great restaurants.”

Restaurants like Woody’s Oasis, 211 E. Grand River Ave. and India Palace, 136 W. Grand River Ave., are examples of those investments, van Ravensway said.

“I think the diversity in East Lansing has never been better,” he said. “Ann Arbor may be way ahead of us, but we’re coming around. We’re getting there.”

Meghann Kelley, a U-M senior and manager of The Brown Jug, said the only differences she notices between Ann Arbor and East Lansing are the times people decide to go out.

“All my good friends from high school are at Michigan State, so the biggest difference is the times that people go out,” she said. “Whenever I’m there, we usually go out at 9:30 and 10 and get home by 2:30 or 3, and people here go out at 12 or 1 and get home at 4.”

Rivalries aside, Kelley said she’s enjoyed the visits to East Lansing’s popular night spots.

“I feel like it’s any other college campus where everyone’s going,” she said. “A college campus is a college campus. When I go to a bar when I’m up at State, I’m there to see friends, and where I go to hang out, it’s more the people I’m with.”

MSU telecommunication freshman Wendy McLeod said she often visits Ann Arbor for the wide variety of activities available, and she appreciates the liberal and diverse feel of the city.

“What I’ve also heard about Ann Arbor, however, is that it’s however many square miles surrounded by reality,” she said. “I’ve heard Ann Arbor described as that, but I like it.

“I think if East Lansing wants to get better and in competition with Ann Arbor, it needs to get more happening. Get more things to do. Every time I come to Ann Arbor there’s always something to do.”

McLeod said she prefers the more laid-back aspects of East Lansing’s night life, like India Palace or Lou & Harry’s Five Star Deli, 245 Ann St., but wishes more places were open later. Instead, she opts for small house or apartment parties.

“That’s the only parties we want to go to, because we know everyone and it’s a good environment,” she said. “Guaranteed good friends, good people and good times.”

Christian Dorsch, a general manager at Harper’s Restaurant & Brewpub, 131 Albert Ave., said he thinks East Lansing offers a variety of restaurants and bars for students and permanent residents and is continuing to improve its entertainment sector.

“East Lansing is always trying to look up to Ann Arbor for places to eat, and I know the city of East Lansing is working hard to upscale our own personal city,” he said. “I think they’re more diverse in Ann Arbor, but East Lansing is getting there as far as different styles of food and restaurants.”

Dorsch said although East Lansing and Ann Arbor never will be the same, the diversity of restaurants, bars and other places is something East Lansing should strive for.

“We don’t try to compare ourselves to Ann Arbor, but Ann Arbor is like the atmosphere that (East Lansing) tries to have,” he said. “It’s what the city is trying to be known as - one of those places everyone should go because of good food and shops, and little by little it’s getting there.”