POV: Today
On today's agenda: my friends and I’s weekly -and chaotic- trek to Boston.
Before we can begin on the journey, it’s essential we first make a stop at Dunkin Donuts. We visit so often, the owner has become a part of our circle, greeting us with “Hello again!” My order never changes- one coffee roll and small iced caramel coffee with extra caramel.
After, we decide whether we’re taking the SMFA shuttle or the T. Before Boston, I’d never been on a train. So taking the T can be a bit stress-inducing in the midst of confusing “red-line” and “green-line” lingo, but I’m determined to get the hang of it. Usually, we decide on the SMFA shuttle. Glaring at the city from the shuttle window is my favorite pastime on the 25-minute trip.
Arriving in Boston is the best part. It’s a feeling I wish I could capture in a picture or painting- too special for words. If it were a song, it’d be “Streetcar” by Daniel Caesar. My friend, Francesca, says it’d be “My Future” by Billie Eilish. Walking through the city to Prudential and Newbury St, especially when you’ve come from a rural area, is just as breathtaking. We visit stores like Urban Outfitters, UNIQLO, and Newbury Comic Store, but my favorite is Barnes & Nobles. I always walk out with something new to paste on my walls like a journal of national park posters and a collective of constellations for each month. When I don’t have money to spend, I just roam Boston.
By the end, my friends and I have unconsciously walked four miles. We take the T back to Davis Square, where we eat at Boston Burger. I’m a picky eater, but Boston Burger cooks up the best plain cheeseburger. When we’re not there, we’re at Nick's House of Pizza enjoying a plain pepperoni (with ranch of course).
Once we arrive back at Hyatt Place, there are no set plans. Sometimes we all end up hanging out in the hallways, going from room to room and indulging in exciting conversation. Other times, we just listen to music till 4:00 am. Either way, I’m never bored.
On move-in day, I remember sitting anxiously in my bed worried I'd make no friends and have nothing exciting to do over the weekend. Unlike other students, I wasn't a drive away from home, but rather a lengthy plane ride to the border of South Texas. So I was officially on my own and officially terrified.
I can’t imagine what I was so worried about.