soshi

I am considering several colleges in/around Boston (Tufts, Brandeis, BC) so I want to know: Bostonians, what do you love about Boston? What do you dislike? I'm from sunny California, so I need as much info as possible. Thanks! (:

jenx1234

Oh my god, I love everything. I spent my childhood in CA and moved to MA when I was 15, so I know where you're coming from.

1.) My absolute favorite part about Boston is the attitude everyone has. The attitude is honest, open, sarcastic, and with no regard for political correctness whatsoever. To put it simply, Bostonians are HILARIOUS, and you always know what they think of you.

2.) The season changes. While the snow and cold sometimes sucks, the fall is simply stunning. Orange, yellow, and red leaves everywhere. It's beautiful.

3.) The Red Sox. Need I say more? The obsessive love for the Red Sox is SO fun to be around.

4.) Boston is the ultimate college town. You can have friends at about 2395309 schools around you.

I love this town, and I'm only applying to colleges around it. While I loved living in CA, I love this even more.

Ashara

Hi Soshi!

I moved to Medford when I was 13. I really love it here. Tufts is in a great location right on the red line which stops in Harvard SQ, Downtown, Kendal, the commons (best line in my opinion), and its right next to Davis SQ. Boston College is in Newton on the Green Line. Tufts is actually more accessible to downtown then BC is. But...it has a gorgeous campus with beautiful landscaping. Also, as a huge BC eagles fan the football games are so much fun. Brandeis is in Waltham which is probably the least urban of all the schools you listed. But the public transportation around Boston and greater Boston is good.

1. I love the New England personality. Jenx1234 is absolutely right about the personality. We aren't cold as much as slightly cynical and sarcastic. If that type of humor doesn't bother you...we are quite funny.
2. Its a fun and happening city. We are surrounded by some of the greatest minds in the world. But its also diverse. In Harvard Sq you'll have a group of Harvard students standing next to a group of punks who are next to a drum circle.
3. We are all connected and united through two things: The Red Sox and our hate for winter.
4. The Art scene is improving by the moment. Its no Soho but its getting there.
5. Great food!
6. Easy access to an international airport, and New York City
I love Boston, but the one thing that you should consider is how you'll deal with the cold because it is cold. But the cold also connects you with the people around you. Everyone is dealing with the same problems. Plus, you can always use it as an excuse to explore some of the great little cafes littered throughout greater Boston. But for some people the cold is actually a deal breaker. However, for me I love my city!

TheDukeofEarl

--Boston is a great walking city -- you can go from one area to another, from bar to bar or restaurant to concert, and there are not too many of those "good block/bad block" deals like you get in NYC. The bad areas are contiguous and generally away from the city center. Which is good because taxis are nowhere near as plentiful as in NYC, due to major hack-o-rama activity in the city hall. Harvard Square is also a very cool place to go (though getting less funky and more Starbucks by the year).
-- On weekend nights the city is flooded with college students and, unlike some towns (like Gainesville = U of FLA; South Bend = ND; Hanover = Dartmouth), Boston has kids from dozens of schools all over the place. It is possible you will have friends at Brandeis or Tufts or BU or Northeastern or MIT or Harvard whom you will visit for parties, and they will come to BC too. (Thursday night is on-campus party night at many schools, then into the city perhaps a couple of weekends a month)
-- Public transportation compared to other major cities (NYC, WASH DC) is pretty poor in Boston. The "T" (subway) is limited in coverage outside of the city proper and bus lines are usually disjointed. But like I said, it is a great walking city, most stuff is close by each other, and the public transportation ALWAYS goes right to the front door of the schools you mentioned.
-- Because Boston is a large tourist draw, and a population of students flowing in and out of it, there is not a real sense of being an "outsider" in Boston; even if you just arrived last week, there is a good chance that someone else sitting in the cafe near you arrived after you did.
-- Boston is Puritanical in that it closes up pretty tight at 1/1:30AM, so if you are looking for that NYC all-night booze trek, you won't find it in Boston. On the bright side, it does kind of help enforce the need for sleep. :-)
-- Like any major city, it has excellent arts, music scene (fueled somewhat by college atmosphere), museums, sports, libraries.
-- Ashara is right: You will learn to respect the cold, but the good news is that we have a 2-week rainy period in April (it's called Spring) that tends to end the cold spell, and the beauty of the Fall season in the Boston area makes up for all the ugliness of winter.
-- Boston doesn't really lack in any major area except that it is impossible to find good fried chicken anywhere in or near the city, at least as far as I can see. And Bostonians, please don't even think of pointing me toward Kelly's Roast Beef fried chicken... I'm talking real fried chicken here.