With all the changes I have been through this past year, I did not think Boston becoming my favorite city would happen this year. While I grew up in New York through my childhood, NYC did not resonate as much with me as it does for some natives. Philadelphia was fun during my undergraduate years, but my city exploration was minimized due to the pandemic. Washington D.C. was a nice experiment, but the humidity pushed my northern soul well past my limits. I am happy to say Boston lived up to my hopes and exceeded them.

I am sure some of you find this thesis ridiculous. I will not deny I miss my hometown bagel shop. However, Boston is the first city I have lived in on my own that speaks to me and makes sense. I know this piece may come off as naive to people who have always lived here. I would act the same if someone gushed about New York the way I am about to gush about Boston. 

Step 1: The Weather

A controversial take to start, but a significant factor for me. I missed the cold living in DC. Trying to get excited for Christmas and Hanukkah is not the same when I would leave my DC office that Friday in fifty-degree weather. More importantly, I notice the weather in Boston makes many people take better advantage of their surroundings. When it’s warm, I see everyone on the Esplanade or Boston Common. When the snow comes, I see the trails of countless sleds at Roger’s Park in Brighton. I hit the ski slopes again along with many of my classmates. I love seizing the day and seeing that spirit here year-round is heartening. 

Step 2: Flora and Fauna

I am big on all the flowers of the area. Right when the magnolias left, the cherry blossoms took their place. I remember studying for finals while the red and yellow tulips outside the law library bloomed. I gawked at all the peony bushes starting to reach the “marshmallow” stage on my street in early June. Some of the famous hydrangeas are on their way. There is an appreciation for nature and green space here. I enjoy so many walks and runs around my neighborhood mainly due to the scenery and seeing it evolve throughout the year. 

Step 3: Iced Coffee and Other Boston Stereotype Jokes

Some of the Boston stereotypes I see on the internet did grow on me. I always thought I would be a hot coffee person, but spring finals changed something. I always chug my coffee no matter the temperature, but I finally started drinking the cold stuff right as the heat kicked up. I do not have a Dunkin rewards membership yet but check back here in a year and maybe that will change. Other Boston jokes I take part in include clowning on the T, the weather lately seemingly only being nice during the work week, and the roaming hordes of wild turkeys I occasionally ran into on my commute. All these little odd gags liven the place up.

Step 4: The Sights

There is a crowd who say there is nothing to do in Boston, but I argue otherwise. Fenway Park is a magical place that makes it feels so easy to attend anything there. Graduate students can enroll in the Student 9s program that gets you discounted tickets to Red Sox games. The word I would use is approachable. When Marathon Monday came around, I was nervous that Commonwealth Ave near BC’s main campus would be a packed-out mess, but it was so much easier to sit and enjoy the race than I expected. One of my first adventures was going out on one of the Community Sailing Club boats. I always saw pictures of their boats on the Charles but never thought I could get onto the boat. Turns out you can!

Step 5: Tradition! 

(Insert the applicable Fiddler on the Roof song here). Boston has so much history and tradition to offer. The Marathon, the bustle that comes with St. Patrick’s Day, even Somerville’s PorchFest. There are so many little things I discovered when I moved here. There are multiple Instagram accounts I follow that constantly post affordable fun things to do around town (see Boston Uncovered or the Boston Calendar). I love traditions thanks to my experiences at Bryn Mawr. Some of that was missing from the other cities I have lived in. People would come out for the cherry blossoms in DC, but it felt more like a compulsory exercise and not a fun one. I hope next year I will partake in more traditions around town and maybe start my own. (See my roommate Genevieve and I at Mar Mon below!)

Overall, Boston has really turned me from a native New Yorker into a Boston lover. No city is perfect, but this city feels closer to my ideal place to live, work, and have fun.

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Catherine Beveridge is a first-year student at BC Law. Contact her at beverid@bc.edu.