Temple is pulling students from outside the Philadelphia area more and more; I hail from Lancaster County, and, yes, I had Amish for neighbors. That means more and more people on campus couldn’t give a lost person directions to Rittenhouse Square, even though the new Temple’s ad campaign thinks we can.
So instead of coming to campus and only venturing off for a trip to the airport or Amtrak to get home, students need to get out and make Philadelphia “yours.” After just a short time, it’s not even “Philadelphia” anymore, it’s “Philly.”
You won’t get this by attending frat parties every Friday night or spending your one night out per week at the Draught Horse.
During my time in Philly, I’ve been to two different schools for two different majors — it’s my excuse for being a fifth year senior — and one thing is similar, apathy on campus and the oft used phrase “I’m bored.”
What?? Bored?
This is Philly! There might not be the nightlife of Miami, all the hustle and bustle of New York or the weather in L.A., but that’s why it’s Philly. And in case you’ve been living in the same cave as bin Laden, you must know that this city is on an upswing.
Just visit one of Philly’s clubs, on Delaware Avenue if you must, and catch the Philly flavor in music.
There’s the cheesesteak, which does not exist in any edible form outside of a Philadelphia County, and water ice. Did you know Philadelphia was once the Ice Cream Capital of the world?
Then there’s shopping on Market Street East and Walnut and Chestnut streets. Visit the Clothespin for people watching and enjoy a picnic or a book at Rittenhouse or Washington squares.
There’s the obvious historic district for a little bit of culture, but make sure to check out “First Friday” in Old City, and free admission to the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Sundays — DO NOT run up the stairs and act like Rocky.
It might sound too “touristy” but Philly offers some great tours as well, from architecture to history and ghosts.
Philadelphia has enough of a theater life to satisfy anyone’s taste at least once during the semester and plenty of concerts and shows move through the area.
Even try venturing out for a weekend to check out Manayunk’s Main Street or King of Prussia. While visiting either of these two, catch a movie, unless you have a taste for the wild side, then check out the “ghetto theater” on 19th & Chestnut streets.
All of this is, of course, just the surface of what Philly offers. Go out and learn more for yourself. You’re going to take what you do, learn and experience here with you for the rest of your life, don’t leave with regrets.
You could stay on campus, shop at Rite Aid, eat at McDonald’s, and bank at PNC or you can eat at Checkers and Midcity Diner, drink at Tangier or McGlinchy’s and hit Pat’s (God, not Geno’s) afterward.
And none of this has to cut into your school or leisure time. I’ve pulled off a lot of accomplishments just fine and I spent my first year here in Towers drinking more with my roommates than most fraternities can down.
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