Get Connected

Sometimes I forget how disconnected the suburbs can seem from the city.  Currently I am living and working in the city of Buffalo, but I attend school in the suburbs.  Although my commute is under an hour using public transportation (20 minutes by car), there are days when I am reminded that the suburban campus can feel like an island.  There is a point along my commute where I not only cross into the suburbs from the city, I cross over into new territory.  This is something I enjoy because I everyday I get a mixture of two dynamic areas of Western New York.

Unfortunately, I was reminded that all students may not share my sentiments when last week I was explaining the location of an upcoming event to some fellow classmates.  A few of them needed vague directions as to where this event was occurring, but there were a couple of students who weren’t even familiar with how to get to the city of Buffalo from the suburbs.  I remember within a few weeks of moving to Western New York I had to travel to the West side from Amherst for a class field trip.  I remember how intimidated I was because I didn’t know my way around the city whatsoever.

But once I reached my destination, I was astounded as to how sprawling and full of history the city of Buffalo is.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I wanted to learn more, see more, and do more.

As somebody who appreciates all levels of community- rural, suburban, and urban, at times I find it hard to understand why more students don’t get out there and explore the area in which they are living and learning.  Using your surrounding environment as a tool for education is one of the best ways to gain an appreciation for an area such as Western New York.  In my (humble) opinion, getting a well rounded college experience should be about more than going to class and studying.  I just wish more students felt inclined to get off campus and create a bond with the area in which they live, beyond the borders of the quad. 

Photo credit.

Posted by on 10/15 at 10:32 AM