Swarthmore's fortes

interesteddad
Thu, 23 Mar 2006 16:08:48 +0000

I don’t think that I overestimate the accessibility (20 minutes by train or Swat shuttle van is pretty darn accessible). However, I do think I underestimate the desire of Swatties to bother with going into the city. There’s another issue: going into the city for dinner does mean spending $25 or so. The culture of respecting kids who don’t have extra spending money tends to cut down on group excursions.

Having said that, even being able to walk up to Bertucci’s for pizza is a nice escape from “the ivory tower” that is not available at more remote LACs. Once you hit the Baltimore Pike a quarter mile from campus, you’ve definitely left the bubble. I think “leaving the bubble” from time to time is essential for mental health at any LAC.

As for the term “suburban”, I agree with you from a northeasterner perspective. But, the area around Swarthmore is not even remotely similar to what a student from, say, Houston or Atlanta or Orange County would envision by the term “suburban”. We are really talking about an old “close-in” residential neighborhood. I doubt there has been a house built in the borough of Swarthmore in 50 years – unless it was a tear-down and rebuild (and it’s probably tough to get the zoning permit for that!)