Being an on-campus student doesn’t mean you should spend every day of every month on campus. While living in the heart of Boston, it’s easy to feel like you’ve already seen all the city has to offer. Walking across the Common or going to AMC may feel like a field trip. I remember when the Esplanade felt so hidden and foreign, almost like a secret. It’s far enough from campus to feel like a new place and has become a safe haven for many students. That’s why it’s so important to get off campus: taking a break from all the things that constantly bombard us while learning and changing with new surroundings.

Living on campus comes as a huge privilege. The biggest worry about commuting to class is the elevator traffic. With the Max and Dining Center on the same block, you don’t have to cook on campus; it’s all too easy. You have everything you need on campus...except a place to call your own.

Moving to a new place can be hard. You may feel like you have to stay in one place for a bit to adjust. Just like at home, though, it can start to make you feel a little cooped up if you stay in your dorm for days on end. Even doing normal things to leave your space can make a huge difference in your mood. Living in the city, it may be hard to realize you can still find that normality. I didn’t truly realize it until I went to grocery stores in other parts of the city, or to places like Target and Marshalls-- places that feel the same no matter which store you go to.

When I asked Emerson students, “What’s your favorite place in the city?” or “Where is your favorite place to go off campus?” the majority of the answers were the Esplanade, the Common or Garden, and Explorateur. However, I’ve found these places to be flooded with Emerson College students. It’s almost like you never really left campus at all.

Emerson shouldn’t confine you to what’s close. It’s important to actually engage with the city to find the hot spots. There’s a whole different world and culture outside of Emerson’s campus. Go explore the Financial District. It isn’t all just office buildings and skyscrapers. There’s this beautiful little greenway called Post Office Square. Similar to the greenway by the waterfront, this one features beautiful arches that light up in the evening and a cute little coffee shop that looks like a greenhouse. There’s Newbury Street, Chinatown, Faneuil Hall, and the Prudential to explore as well, all within walking distance. There’s the rolled ice cream shop in Chinatown, and Newbury Comics on both Newbury Street and in Faneuil Hall. Go across the water and see downtown from the other side. “It’s always nice to visit the Cambridge/Harvard area. It has a lot of interesting food places and cafés to experience and explore,” says India Varma ‘22.

On-campus students are really the only people that stay on campus 24/7. Though this is our home, we should be able to feel independent from it. Once I started actually going places, I felt more well-traveled. It helped me gain confidence in my navigation skills just to look at the MBTA map and see how far I’ve traversed throughout the city. Each place holds a memory. The T becomes a portal-- an underground, interconnected system where you can walk through a doorway and exit into a completely new corner of the city. Going from the skyscrapers of downtown to houses, cafés, and beaches is grounding.

Moving is about rebuilding. You came here bringing all your past life experiences with you. Just like the places that are important to you back home, you can build new ones here. Integrate yourself with the city; try to spread yourself farther. Maybe even leave the city for a little bit. Quincy, Chelsea, and Cambridge aren’t far, after all. Treat yourself by going out. The sparkling lights of Paramount will still be here when you get back.

Retreat Yourself