You’ve trained for this as a kid, bursting endless soap bubbles in your yard. Your popping finger is nice and strong, so get ready to pop your biggest bubble yet.
In fact, you may need your whole body or even a train to pop this one. It’s the Northeastern bubble, and it keeps many a student within in confines, missing out on the what rest of what Boston has to offer. And as the weather gets warmer, more opportunities become available.
Sure, there’s high-end shopping to be done in the Prudential Center, or hours of wiffleball to be played on campus. But what’s beyond a five-minute walk is even better.
For instance, as reported in The News today, the SoWa Open Market will be running from May 16 through October 25 and will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 550 Harrison Ave. It offers everything from vintage clothing, to pastries, to sculpture and more.
For those who have yet to leave the bubble, the SoWa Arts and Media District is fairly close to campus. Walking there may be a little much, but it’s certainly doable. If not, there are endless ways to get there using the T ‘- all of which are detailed on the market’s website.
If arts and crafts aren’t your scene and you’re looking for exercise, you can check out some of Boston’s many parks. There are the obvious choices:’ the Boston Common, the Public Gardens and the Fens. But there are also the less obvious, like Jamaica Pond or Kevin W. Fitzgerald Park in Mission Hill, both of which are just outside the bubble. You might also consider learning to sail or renting a kayak at Community Boating on the Charles River.
Or if you’d like to indulge your inner child ‘- and what college student doesn’t? ‘- you could visit the New England Aquarium, the Museum of Science or the Franklin Park Zoo. The aquarium features the Giant Ocean Tank ‘- a three-story tank staring Myrtle the 500-pound sea turtle. At the Museum of Science, many of the exhibits are interactive and laser shows take place throughout the day. As for the zoo, it’s exactly what you think it is. ‘Lions and tigers bears, oh my!’
But this isn’t a travel brochure. You live here and you shouldn’t need one. Go out and explore these things, or better yet, find the fun yourself. Northeastern students pay tens of thousands of dollars and a lot of that is due to the high cost of living in Boston, so get your money’s worth.
Money, however, is probably the last reason why you should break the bubble. While this may be cliche and nauseating, it apparently needs to be said:’ College is a time to experience as much as you can. It’s a complete waste to sit on the couch and play Call of Duty when you could be in the Common reenacting a Revolutionary War battle with water guns.
Yes, that is an actual event hosted by the Banditos Misteriosos. Haven’t heard of them? Then their events are just another thing you’re missing out on. There are only so many ways we can say this, so this will end with one more cliche.
In this year’s Commencement speech, President Aoun said, ‘Now is your opportunity to explore this diverse world, to learn the nuances between nations and cultures. We offer experiential education in 88 cities outside the United States. We recognize, too, that international experience begins in Boston.’
Before you explore the differences between Kenya and Uganda, try exploring those between Southie and the South End. Instead of jumping on a plane to Italy, why don’t you take the T to the North End?
As students, we dominate this city. We are shaping its culture and we should be enjoying it. And now that summer is here Northeastern students have Boston all to themselves, so soak it up.
Ferris Bueller ‘- whose famous (though fictional) tour of Chicago should be an example for all ‘- once said, ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.’
So this coming Memorial Day, burst that Northeastern bubble, find a good parade float to commandeer and lip sync your heart out.