On the last day of my 2L internship, my supervising attorneys asked me what I would do with my remaining weeks of summer before classes started. When I said I would stick around town and make my own fun, it seemed like the tame answer to give. I’ve had so many silly adventures around this city, I haven’t felt the need to go anywhere else. My friends are here, and there is plenty for me to do. Here are some highlights from easily the most fun summer I’ve had since 2018.
Discovering a Hidden Gem, er, Crystal
My roommate Geneieve got a new teaching job in Newton Centre this summer and mentioned Crystal Lake to me in July. Crystal Lake is maintained by the City of Newton and is such a cute spot for a summer swim. If you don’t have a car, it’s not a far walk from the Newton Highlands T stop on the D line. Food isn’t allowed on the beach front, but there is a decent sized lawn where you can polish off some sandwiches. If you walk further down the street from the parking lot, you’ll see Levingston Cove where some people swim as well. Going to Crystal Lake became our new ritual at the end of long, hot days. I would sprint off the bus from work and we would race to the lake before it got too cold. Something about going and just floating around on a pool noodle with your friends was so restorative. I didn’t need a big Cape trip.
Going out with Friends of Friends (of Friends?)
Back in June, I accepted a random picnic invite from a friend from line dancing. We were out on the Esplanade, and I made some lovely new connections thanks to that one evening. Fast forward to August, and one of those new friends, Dan, invites me to a Boston Boat Cruise concert. Tickets were cheap and this was easily the coolest DJ outing I’ve had. Our boat left Seaport at 7pm sharp, and we took a lengthy loop around the bay as the sun set and the house bass kept blasting. I hung out with two new friends Dan introduced me to, and it was so fun being a stranger in a group. As much as I enjoy adventuring on my own, I am still 51% extroverted and prefer sharing experiences with people together. One of the girls I hung out with traded stories with me about working for a local news station. I swapped my notes about being a political press intern a few years back. The atmosphere of the evening was awesome, and I patted myself on the back for being brave enough to take the dive.
Get Ice Cream, Randomly, All the Time
Nothing screams summer like a spontaneous ice cream run after dinner while the sun is still up. I became a big Scoop n’ Scootery fan this summer, but I left them out of my restaurant review because it was strictly dessert and I felt horrible ever since. Their signature sundaes are out of this world, and I don’t think I’ve had a dud flavor yet. From chocolatey and rich to light and fruity, they have so many options. The portions are also worth the price you pay. Some days I would go with my roommates, and we would save half back in the freezer at home. Evenings of Love Island and last-second ice cream will live in my head rent free when I start freezing in the winter again.
When I got back to school, a lot of my classmates talked about their Euro summers and destination vacations. Honestly, I had so much more fun here in the city than I have had in quite a few summers. Maybe that was also due to the World Cup, Scotland, Tall Ship week, and a million other events I’m forgetting. I know most say Boston is not a fun city, but this summer, I didn’t feel bringing back happy hour was necessary. There is summer magic waiting for you to pick it up and run with it.
Catherine Beveridge is a third-year student at BC Law. Contact her at beverid@bc.edu.
