Fall Semester at Penn can feel like a blur of colorful, fleeting experiences. The first few weeks of humidity coincide with the hum of students getting back into the rhythms of coursework and university life. In October, the reprieve of cool weather is entangled with a wave of projects, club activities and midterms. I’ve found that slowing myself down and taking in the beauty of the people and places around me is a tricky exercise in such a fast-paced, exciting environment. Yet - and this I can’t emphasize enough - finding the time to enjoy Philly outside of the bubble of Penn life is so important. I’ve found that the best way to do this is to use my free time to explore new parts of the city and to return to my favorite spots outside of Penn.
This Fall break, I decided to stay on campus instead of heading to New York to spend the weekend with some friends. I had a long paper due for one of my favorite classes, and I knew I needed the time to focus on my schoolwork and recuperate from a busy few weeks at Penn. Campus in general (and my apartment building, in particular) felt quiet, with many students gone home for the long weekend. A quick SEPTA ride to Old City with my roommate who, being from Chicago, was also staying on campus over the weekend, provided a restful, necessary departure from normal life.
One of the things I have come to value most about Penn is the ability students have to leave campus and immediately be within the culturally vibrant, buzzing city that is Philadelphia. Coming from a large city myself (greater Johannesburg has about 10 million residents) I couldn’t imagine going to college in a tiny town, far away from the infrastructure and action that only cities can provide. Philly, in particular, is a welcoming, easily discoverable place for young people from places far and near. It is just the right size for walking and exploring, but it is big enough and varying enough to not feel like a small city. This city of brotherly love is a beautiful, refreshing place to be a student.
Philly loves to eat (while also religiously supporting its sports teams). You’ll find neighborhoods like South Philly which are just a short SEPTA away from Penn, with streets lined by family restaurants selling some of the best Italian-American and Mexican-American food in the world. A bundle of shallots might cost you $1 or less at the old Italian Market on 9th Street. If you’re not into fancy food, you might sample the cheesesteaks of the iconic rivals Pat’s and Geno’s just a short walk around the corner.
My trip to Old City during Fall Break took me to a quiet cafe with an impeccable view of a town square and a lavender-flavored take on an almond milk latte. As the cafe closed for the evening, we were caught in the rain, and sprinted in the direction of warm ramen for dinner at a Japanese restaurant nearby. We got home via a quick SEPTA back to 40th street, immediately feeling much more prepared to take on the rest of the semester.
Because of the enormous diversity of student interests on campus, Penn students can feel obliged to spend every spare moment involved in club activities and other extra-curriculars. While these activities are wonderful and can be a great break from the routine of college work, I’ve found that exploring interesting parts of Philly helps me to return to my schoolwork and activities at Penn feeling excited rather than burnt out. It can be tempting, as students, to be laser-focused on the bubble of work and activities around us and to forget about the vibrant nature of the world us. Going to school in a city like Philly gives us the important capacity to be members of a broader, diverse community of people in a wonderful city.