If I heard one word in my first few weeks of college more than any other, it was change. Everyone from my parents to my professors and even the orientation staff were constantly preparing me for the changes that came with being away from home. One of the changes I did not anticipate however, was how isolated a college campus can feel from the rest of the world. As someone who loves the outdoors, hiking, and people watching, I missed the feeling of getting in my car and being able to explore my world around me.
Luckily, the city of Rochester is a fantastic, diverse place and offers so much to the student with intense wanderlust, like me. Here are my tips for getting your fix.
Now I know like I’m going to sound like your mom, but…. “honey, make friends!”. If you’re looking to explore Rochester and beyond, my first suggestion would be to befriend upperclassmen. They have lived in the city for at least a few years and are sure to have their fave haunts. Also, they have cars!! And where do you find the elusive upperclassman? Join some clubs!  In addition, I found finding friends from Rochester themselves really helpful because they know the best hole- in -the wall places. When I wanted to get my nose and cartilage pierced, my friend told me about the place that she and her friends from high school went and it was the best experience I could hope for!
As someone from a small town,where we didn’t even have a football team let alone city transportation, I found using the city buses to be intimidating! What if I got off at the wrong stop?! What if I got lost?! What if I had to stay on the bus forever?! But once I got over this fear, I found the city buses to be so helpful my freshman year. They go all over Rochester and are only a couple bucks a ride, which is dope! There is a stop in College Town and they also stop at ITS sometimes!
Biking is a great way to explore the city at a low cost! If you don’t have a bike, the University provides bikes through CityCycles (http://citycycles.rochester.edu/). One of the easiest paths to follow is the Pittsford Trail System (http://www.traillink.com/trail/pittsford-trail-system-(railroad-loop-trail).aspx) which leads you to Pittsford, a quaint suburb of Rochester, that has little shops and, most importantly, an amazing crepe place! The trail picks up in Genesee Valley Park, which is the park that surrounds campus! In addition, you can bike into downtown Rochester and see some of the beautiful sights like the river and the Kodak building!
Finally, for the hiking and outdoors lover, a short drive will provide all you could ever want. My personal fave place to hike is Letchworth State Park. At an hour away, it is not the closest place to get to, but the views and opportunities for camping and hiking make it totally worth it. The best thing about Letchworth is that it provides harder hikes for the more experienced and beautiful places to walk if hiking isn’t your thing (http://nysparks.com/parks/79/details.aspx) . For some closer options Tyron Park is just 15 minutes away and super cute! Â
Overall, don’t be afraid to leave campus! I know life is busy and watching Netflix in bed is super appealing (we’ve all been there) but the city of Rochester is a wonderful place and is just waiting for you to explore!
Wander on!
HCXO
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