<p>It is not my intention to offend anyone–it is just wrong to suggest that Durham, or the Research Triangle for that matter, is a positive component of the Duke undergraduate experience. In fact Durham is considered a negative for most students who attend the school, and the Duke-Durham relationship has been strained for decades, pre-dating the lacrosse scandal. Duke is a great place, and provides a great undergraduate life for students who want a college bubble experience–in fact, few places can rival the Gothic Wonderland in terms of idyllic college campuses–but all prospective students should be aware that the neighboring environment plays no real positive role in the lives of Duke students–it is not the same as going to college in Boston, New York, Washington, DC, Chicago, or even places like Charlottesville, Chapel Hill, or Ann Arbor.</p>