For basically all of freshman year, I had no idea what I was doing. The same — held true on Marathon Monday. Friends were asking me whether I would be on campus or off campus, and as the naïve little fetus I was, I thought “both” was an acceptable answer. To everyone who has not experienced Marathon Monday at BC, know that it is nearly impossible to be both on and off campus. The race course goes directly in between campus and off campus, separating the two areas for several hours. Since the Boston Marathon Bombing, security has gotten increasingly strict on when you can cross the course. To put it into perspective, my friends and I thought we would be safe to cross the course line around 3 pm since there were fewer runners out, and we were stuck waiting for an hour to cross. Consequently, it is very important that wherever you decide to go, you are comfortable with staying there for a while.
Pros of Staying On:
· You can go back to your room whenever you want! Trust me, when you start drinking at 6 am, you need a nap by noon.
· There are plenty of easy food options in the dining halls.
· If you’re over 21, you can go to the Mods!
Cons of Staying On
· No fun off-campus parties
· Res Life
Pros of Going Off
· Off-campus parties! Note: These are only fun if you actually know the people who live there. As a freshman, this may be a bit harder to do. Don’t just go to 41 Foster because your roommate’s cousin’s boyfriend’s friend lives there. You most likely won’t know anyone and probably won’t have the best time.
· White Mountain and El Pelón. Stupid freshman year me forgot to bring a credit card when I chose to go off campus last year. Don’t make this mistake. You’ll need to refuel around 11 am.
Cons of Going Off
· If you need a nap, it is usually socially frowned upon to sleep on the couch while everyone else is playing beer pong and doing keg stands.
· If you forgot to bring cash or a credit card, you may need your friend to spot you for snacks and water.
All in all, no matter where you end up, you’ll have a great time on Marathon Monday. Celebrate responsibly and enjoy the day off!
Sources:
https://eduadvisor.my/articles/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Living-On-Camp…