Coming back to CoMm Ave? here’s how to make the most of It.
Despite the onset of a new delta variant (among other variants) of COVID-19, vaccines have made huge strides in protecting against the disease and providing a way toward a future without COVID-19.
This time last year, I was writing about ways to take time for yourself during quarantine in our first full-length, pandemic-era semester. After one year, the start of this semester feels different. From those who I’ve spoken with as the semester starts, a new energy is buzzing through the student body, as in-person classes, clubs and activities are making their grandiose return to our lives. However, the thing I’m most excited about is having the city of Boston back at our fingertips. Before the pandemic, I used every opportunity I could to travel all over Boston and explore the city that I’ve grown to love over my lifetime. As a Massachusetts native, it was a dream to live in Boston, so when the coronavirus hit and wandering the city was no longer possible, I felt like I missed out. Even prior to the pandemic, the “BU bubble” we often found ourselves in as we grinded through the semester, pandemic or not, can feel somewhat trapping.
That being said, I hope to make up for that lost Boston time this year, and this is my encouragement for all of you to do the same! The T runs right through campus with both the Green Line train and buses, and the commuter rail feathers out to much of Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island. Put something on your weekly calendar to experience something new each week. It’ll take a little bit of effort to schedule things and get to where you want to go, and I’m certain doing in-person activities will be a bit weird at first. However, it’s absolutely worth it, and science agrees. Research shows that varying your routine and taking time to experience new things can improve your mood and your happiness.
Explore with friends, visit a new neighborhood, eat at a restaurant (maybe venture to one you’ve only ever known through Grubhub) and, most importantly, have some fun! You always hear adults say that their college days were some of the most fun in their lifetime. Although the pandemic took away much of that time, this year is your way to get some of it back. 🙂
