Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

Within the depths of Cattaraugus County lies a small town called Olean, NY. AKA the college town of St.Bonaventure! Now, I will admit, I judged it at first glance. I didn’t think it had much to offer. But boy, was I wrong (kind of). After now living in this town for three years, I’ve come to appreciate Olean in all of its essence. You have to romanticize it a bit, but overall, I’m not afraid to admit: I love Olean! So, for this article, I’m going to describe my perfect day in Olean. 

To start, the runner in me would choose to do a run at sunrise. A nice 4-mile run would be perfect. Admittedly, I’m not a morning person; however, I love the vibes of completing a morning run and getting some early-morning endorphins in. I’d love to run along the trail at our school with some of my teammates. After that, I’d shower and put on a cute outfit. 

Next, I’d go to Rocket Cup Coffee. This has become my favorite spot in Olean BY FAR. If you haven’t been here yet, I highly recommend it. My go-to-order is an oat milk latte with brown sugar cinnamon syrup accompanied with a revitalized breakfast sandwich (with sausage and all the toppings included). Trust me when I say you will not be disappointed. The vibes in there are STELLAR. It’s right in town with good scenery, good lighting, and overall good vibes. Something about it there is “hope core”. The last few times I went there, I overheard conversations between upcoming musicians, the cutest bestie relationship between two older women, and two boys bonding over a breakup. So like I said, “hope core”!

After getting in a good meal, I’d go shopping with my roommates and maybe hit a couple of shops within downtown Olean. But after, definitely Marshalls. With that, we’d have to go to my second favorite place in Olean: the Olean Mall. Most people would look at this mall as dying (there’s like three stores left), but I love it. It reminds me of the early 2000s, and I always have a good time exploring it. They also have an arcade in there, so I might as well add that to this dream day. 

Then, I’d go bowling at Good Times Olean. I actually haven’t done this yet, but I’ve been wanting to go. It’s really the only other activity to do in Olean, but you know… bowling is fun! And knowing bowling builds up a good appetite, we’d have to choose another restaurant to attend. My pick would, hands down, be Artic Bite. This is one of Olean’s hidden gems. They serve hibachi-style meals, sushi, and much more. They have friendly staff, good service, good food, reasonable prices, and cool inside seating. So again: 10/10, highly recommend trying it out if you haven’t already. 

I can’t end the night without a sweet treat, so that’s where my third favorite place in Olean comes in: Friendly’s. I love going in there and getting hit with, “What can I get for you, baby?” It makes it feel comforting. They have so many sundaes and sweet treats. I’ve been a Friendly’s stan since day one. In many towns, Friendly’s is no longer available. I’m very appreciative that they have it in Olean. 

To end the night, I’d sip on some fun drinks with my roommates while watching some sort of reality television series. I haven’t had the chance to watch it this year, but we’d probably have to go with “The Bachelor”. And maybe if we’re feeling up for it, we’d hit up the town and end the night with a Cart City hot dog. So, basically, a day full of good vibes and good food. That is my perfect day in Olean!

Faith Caldwell is a junior at St. Bonaventure University and is from Buffalo, New York. She is a new Her Campus member this year who plans to write about anything from lifestyle to personal stories to pop culture. She has always had a passion for writing and is excited to be a part of the Her Campus team! Outside of Her Campus, Faith is a psychology major with a minor in public health. She is also a part of the cross country and track team here. Besides being a student-athlete, Faith is a part of the psychology club and the power yoga club here on campus. She is also working on research this semester with some other classmates! When Faith is not studying or practicing, she enjoys hanging out with her friends and engaging in hobbies she enjoys. Some hobbies include shopping, lifting, long drives, watching reality television, and coffee/food runs. Other interests are sports, nature, media, and comedy. Faith is also spontaneous and always down to explore somewhere.