When you meet new people as a freshman the first couple weeks of school, you normally ask where he or she lives so that you can get to know them. I have encountered this situation too many times to count, and whenever I tell someone I live on Newton, they usually cringe and tell me that they’re sorry. I respond with a genuine smile saying, “I swear it’s not bad!” So here are the pros and cons of living on Newton Campus — as told by someone living on Newton — to clear any discrepancies or beliefs that non-Newton students may have.
The Cons:
1. The Bus
The number one con would have to be the Newton bus. First of all, you lose about 20 minutes of precious sleep time in order to try to catch the inconsistent bus. The bus sometimes is full, so it passes your stop, and you have to try to catch the next one. Because of the bus, I am usually either 30 minutes early to class or running in just as the class is about to start.
Also, there’s TransLoc, the world’s worst tracking app. Every morning, I wake up to see a little notification from TransLoc saying that some busses are not tracking. TransLoc works sometimes, but it is better to simply wait at the stop, since the bus could say that it is 7 minutes away when it is actually being filled to the brim at Main Gate with many students eager to return home after a long day.
Getting onto the bus either at primetime in the morning or right after classes is a scene from The Hunger Games. It is everyone for themselves; shoving their way onto the bus to get home and hoping to squeeze on. If you are extremely unlucky, you are left at the stop, and everyone on the bus pities you, as the bus pulls away.
2. Distance from Campus
Whether you forget a book, want to see a friend, or are going to a party on the weekend, it is a trip just to get there. And more often than not, you just simply don’t go. I tend to categorize my time in the sense that I stay on Main Campus until I am finished for the day so I don’t have to make multiple trips and use up my time. We’re not lazy here, we just don’t want to make that long trip to campus. If you do happen to go to Main, it is not going to be a quick trip because of the Newton bus (surprise, surprise!). We don’t live far by means of distance, but it is more difficult to go see a freshman on Upper or another friend on Lower.
The Pros:
1. All Freshmen
Newton houses about 40% of all freshmen, and freshmen only. Freshmen share the campus with the Law School, but I honestly never see the Law students. It’s nice to know that when you walk into the dining hall, everyone is a freshman, so you can sit down with anyone and start a conversation. Everyone is in the same boat and it is a true bonding experience for us!
2. Stuart Dining Hall
Stuart is arguably the best dining hall at BC. The food is always on point, especially the panini bar. Anyone who eats at Stuart knows it is the best! Since it is only a portion of the freshmen class, the lines are always short and you can always find a place to sit. You can sit down with anyone and it is a good way to meet people.
3. Cute Community to Come Home To
I grew up in a small town, so Newton feels like a part of home for me. At the end of the day, it is the best feeling to escape the school life and take the bus back to Newton where you know everyone feels the same way. There is a such a sense of community on Newton, and there is honestly no place I’d rather live!
Sources:
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http://66.media.tumblr.com/d15d498c06345a8dad51ede946f19819/tumblr_mum75…
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Boston_College_Newto…