I have found it fairly difficult to readjust to being back at school. I haven’t been able to shake the homesick feeling that has snuck its way back into my daily routine. Maybe it’s the classes? Maybe it’s the weather? Maybe it’s the fact that my best friends are back home? Maybe it’s because I had an amazing winter break? Maybe it’s because I’m scared of my future? Or, maybe it really is as simple as this: I miss home.
But I have made the executive decision that I refuse to let spring semester fly by me as I stand to the side upset and scared of the unknown. In order to start the process of getting back into the groove of college, I want to take a look back at why I ultimately decided to choose Boston University as my home for four years.
Credit: boston.curbed.com
I remember the first time I stepped into the city of Boston. I instantly fell in love. Coincidentally, it was also the first time I stepped foot on BU’s campus. Nonetheless, I instantly knew that the next four years of my life were to be spent in Boston.
The first thing I noticed was the brownstones that lined Bay State Road. They reminded me of both new adventures and the comforts of home. Somehow, behind the noisy congested city street of Commonwealth Avenue, the quaint Bay State Road was calm and inviting. I’m now reminded of that first feeling every time I walk back home after classes. Through every season, the brownstones’ beauty never fails to make me feel welcomed.
The next thing I was intrigued by was the beauty of the Charles River. How could one not be intrigued by the river? Not making a sound, it flowed just behind campus with a slow current turning any walk home into a fairytale adventure. The Charles River has seen me in my best and worst moments — even though it is shared by all of Boston, it feels like my own little oasis. It’s heard both my tears and my laughs, it’s felt my stress before exams and my relaxed state on the weekends. With a view of the river from all my study spots on campus, it’s hard to imagine Boston without it.
I still remember being asked, “Why in the world would you choose a college without a campus?” I’ve never once regretted the decision to attend a college “without a campus.” The independence of a campus without any borders was enticing. I get to live right in the city while being surrounded by motivated students from all over. I know many visitors don’t see a usual “campus” here at BU, but the more familiar I get with my two-mile stretch of Commonwealth Ave, I realize just how small the world can be.
Credit: bu.edu
But yet I get to meet new people from all over with so many backgrounds every day that just as Boston reminds me how tiny the world is, it also reminds me how many opportunities there are and how big the world is.
The rich history and amazing alumni of Boston University drive me to do better every day. The countless clubs that promote inclusivity and the multitudes of ways to get involved around campus and the city remind me every day just how lucky I am to be here.
Though there have been rough patches and tough times, I have never once doubted my decision to attend this school. I constantly have reminders of how amazing a city Boston is and how fortunate I am to have been able to meet all my friends and seek new adventures.
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, and read our latest Tweets!