One danger of living on a campus like U of R – inclusive, thriving, and full of its own opportunities – is what I like to call the “bubble effect.” You see, it’s very easy to forget that there’s actually a world off campus. There are so many groups and events every weekend, that it’s really not necessary to leave campus to have a fun time; as it is, it’s hard to accomplish all of your work and go to every event you want to in a weekend. But the fact of the matter is that Rochester, while no New York, Boston, or Los Angeles, is a pretty great city (even if it’s blanketed in snow two-thirds of the year). Last weekend, my friends and I took full advantage of the city (and our small workload this far into the semester), and had a blast in doing so.
This semester, we’ve made it a point to go out to dinner once a week and explore the city, so last Friday we went to Charlie’s Frog Pond, which is somewhat of a Rochester landmark (if you google “Charlie’s,” the Frog Pond instantly comes up in the autofill – it’s a big deal!). It was easy to get to – we took the Red Line bus (a U of R shuttle bus) to Park Avenue. Park Avenue is a great street in the city, full of places to eat, little shops, and quaint houses. Though the name is interesting (and a little eccentric) the food was actually delicious and cheap – two things college students love! It’s definitely worth a visit if you get a chance.
Saturday night was equally delicious – we went to a small restaurant on East Avenue (another great street in Rochester; it’s very lively at nigh) called Matthew’s Pub. The food was also great, but even more enjoyable was the atmosphere, young and energetic, with some great live music playing. Afterwards, we went to Java’s Café (next to Eastman Theatre) to hang out. Java’s is another Rochester landmark – you can’t visit the city and not go to Java’s. It’s a great place to hang out with friends, have philosophical debate, discuss music (usually indie music – it’s a pretty hipster place), and even study or do work.
Sunday afternoon we took the Green Line bus to Pittsford Plaza (Pittsford is a suburb of Rochester, about fifteen minutes away). There, we went to the original Wegmans to get some food and groceries. If you don’t know what Wegmans is, it’s important to understand that it’s not just a grocery store – it’s an experience. Seriously. It’s awesome. After Wegmans, we stopped at Marshalls (yay clothes shopping!) and then studied for a while in Barnes and Noble.
All in all, the weekend was a great experience and, in many ways, an adventure; it was exciting to get off campus and explore the city. There is so much to do on campus, but the city of Rochester serves as an excellent supplement to campus activities, as well as a great foray into the “real world” and a fun way to change things up a bit.