Break In Boston
By: Isabella Cho
As someone who was born and raised in New York, I’ve long had an unwavering fealty to my home state. I love the pristine lakes upstate, the breezy beaches in Long Island, and the stimulating, industrious New York City. But recently, trips to the rocky coasts of Maine, the rustic towns of Cape Cod, and the preppy Connecticut boroughs have shifted my loyalties to the diverse allure of New England.
My affection for the region increased during a spring break trip to visit my friend at Emmanuel College. The school is located in Fenway, a central Boston neighborhood that lacks the towering skyscrapers and crammed city streets most urban areas are known for. Instead, residential buildings and colleges populate the area. A small, bustling city street with national chains and cute cafes can be found only a few minutes’ walk from Emmanuel. But take a few turns, and you’ll find yourself passing colonial buildings with fenced-in courtyards. Four-story stone buildings line the streets as college students hurry to their classes.
My first night was spent exploring downtown. It was 9 PM on a Monday, and the city was empty save for a lone busker and the last few people trickling out of Quincy Market. As we walked through the long market hall, the empty food stalls were unnerving and seemed never-ending. Once out of the market, we passed a street with bright shops and sprinted through the dimly lit alleys we stumbled into. Restaurant employees taking out the trash glanced upwards inquisitively as we ran past. When we reemerged on the main streets, we listened to our voices echo off the sides of the tall buildings. Night in Boston was quieter than New York. In New York, even at 9 PM, groups of people walk the streets and lounge inside restaurants. But here in Boston, only a few stragglers roamed, and the few open eateries were nearly empty. If New York City doesn’t sleep, Boston certainly does.
My second day was spent exploring Boston’s entertainment and cafe culture. Early in the day, my friend gave me directions to a cafe called Green Haus. The cafe was crowded with students, forcing me to sit next to a girl in a Northeastern sweatshirt. Her brow furrowed as she concentrated on her essay and took sporadic sips of her coffee. Meanwhile, the people behind me giggled in between silent spurts of studying. The shop’s quartz tables and eggshell-white walls were lit by spherical, orb-like lamps hanging from steel hooks. The houseplants scattered throughout the shop were soothing, and the productive atmosphere tempted me to get a headstart on my spring break homework.
Although Olivia Rodrigo was in town, her $700 tickets deterred my friend and me from seeing her. We instead went to a Charlotte Sands concert, an indie emo singer whose music neither of us knew. While she sang her angsty tunes to a pumped-up crowd, throngs of people congregated near the small stage while some swayed to the music from the balcony. I bopped my head as the girl beside me hit me with her hair as she enthusiastically danced. On the way back to Fenway, a drunk man heckled us in the T station, adding a fearful flair to the fun night.
My last day and a half were uneventful. I tried a cafe with unique cakes and drinks, ordering myself a frangipane berry tart and a matcha lemonade (10/10) and watching the variety of people that came in the cafe. Students armed with their laptops and headphones dominated the shop, but businessmen in black vests were the second most frequent visitors. The next day, my trip to Newbury Street was dampened by a rainstorm. Ground-level shops and buildings with three-sided fronts gave the street an endearing charm, even as I took cover from the freezing rain in a boba cafe.
I don’t think I experienced Boston like a true tourist would. I didn’t go to the aquarium, ride the duck boat, or see any of the historical sights. Instead, I got a taste of what college in Boston might be like. With cafes to explore, concerts to attend, and sights to see, there are plenty of ways to take advantage of one’s college years in Boston.
Isabella Cho is a freshman from Poughkeepsie, NY majoring in Government. One of her favorite travel destinations is Cape Cod because of its pristine beaches.
