A significant drop in noise complaints might be music to the ears of many East Lansing residents and leaders, but they should not be singing their own praises just yet. The numbers are sure to rise and fall again with ordinary trends that go with life on a college campus.

There were 30 noise complaints reported last weekend - the fewest weekend reports this school year.

There were 482 noise complaints between Aug. 15 and Oct. 7 last year, compared to 656 this year.

Just two weeks ago, an East Lansing City Council meeting was filled with complaints and opposition over noise-related problems in the area, placing blame on students and the university.

Councilmember Bill Sharp said he believed noise to be a sign of potentially riotous conditions, but now claims the recent decrease in noise complaints proves partying students are “going in the right direction” and heeding the council’s outcry.

It’s time Sharp sharpens his senses and realizes what actually contributes to the noise trends.

Unfortunately, the council’s groaning about unruly parties and roaring students charging the streets did not nearly do as much good as some members might believe. This pattern of several rowdy weekends followed by a period of relative peace and quiet is not a new phenomenon in a college town.

Noise complaints and violations reported during the first four weeks of classes were 32 percent higher than last year.

But there were five consecutive home football games during those weeks, not to mention unseasonably warm weather.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that warm weather and football games will bring out partygoers. Last weekend happened to be the coolest of the school year, and it also was the first weekend without a home football game.

It should come as no surprise that the number of “unruly” parties and resulting noise would be much less than before.

East Lansing residents and the city council probably will be complaining during the next home game, when noise complaints and violations are guaranteed to rise again.

They might credit themselves for another drop during a subsequent weekend when there is not a football game.

And the council will probably be singing the same tune when noise complaints take another nose dive during the winter, when there will be even fewer students heading to parties in East Lansing.

Still, all this does not mean there is not a problem with parties and noise in East Lansing. Certain measures need to be taken to keep the city under control, but it does not mean city leaders should continue crying “wolf” when noise levels rise - or in Sharp’s case, crying “riot.”

A slight increase or decrease in noise complaints is not indicative of anything more than a typical weekend in a college town.

That’s just the nature of the beast.