I came to Boston from suburban Michigan, so as you can imagine, the city felt like a different planet. Thanks to the drastically different environment I found myself in, it took me a bit longer to acclimate to college life compared to some of my peers. Now, at the start of my sophomore year, I finally feel settled enough to start exploring the city I’ve come to love.
Unfortunately, it is incredibly easy to get stuck within “the BU bubble,” a vicious cycle of walking back and forth between your dorm, your classes, and the dining hall. The routine nature of the college lifestyle can cause students to feel stuck in the drudgery of a heavy workload and a busy schedule.
I knew that I needed to expand my knowledge of my second home. All of the incredible museums, restaurants, parks, and stores were out there waiting for me, but I was only able to get myself to a few of the many places on my Boston bucket list. I felt as though I was squandering the opportunity to be a college student in such a cool city.
My biggest regret of freshman year was not making it a priority to go into the city and see what it had to offer. In order to remedy those feelings, I started to get out more during my second semester. As I became more comfortable in my new environment, going to the North End for a night or walking down to Fenway no longer seemed as daunting. I saw the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Common, and more.
When I returned to Boston this year, I knew I needed to focus on checking off more items on my Boston bucket list. There are about ten items I want to get to this semester. I highly suggest you make a list of your own because then you’ll always have ideas about where you and your friends should go.
Recently, I knocked three items off in one weekend, which is something unheard of for my freshman self. I visited the Glossier pop-up store and SoWa market before going to Tatte, all of which I highly recommend. Next weekend, I hope to visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the North End.
Throughout this semester and my next few years at BU, I am excited to explore many more sections of this wonderful city. Widening my view of Boston has made me feel so grateful to be spending my college years in a place with so much to do and see. Getting out into the city made me feel like a real part of the Boston community instead of just a visitor––I finally found a sense of belonging. Once you start checking off items on your personal Boston bucket list, you can find that, too!
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