Restaurants, museums, Red Sox games.
Being a college student in Boston supplies a seemingly endless list of things to do; however, that action and entertainment means bustling sidewalks, speeding cars, shouts and sirens. The city, despite all of its perks, can undoubtedly be overstimulating — and I’m frequently struck with the need to escape.
Added to the mix of a city campus are the additional responsibilities of being a college student. Weighed down by classes and clubs, my routine becomes more and more oppressive as the semester progresses. Traveling off campus, much less out of Boston, can feel impossible.
When my friends and I initially floated the idea of taking a beach trip before fall hits, I thought little of it. It was just another item added to our bucket list that we wouldn’t check off. I mean, I certainly didn’t arrive in Boston this semester prepared for beachgoing. I hadn’t packed a swimsuit, beach towel, sandals or sunscreen — not to mention I had no idea where to go.
When confronted with the possibility of doing something new, I have a knack for defaulting to reasons I shouldn’t rather than reasons I should, but when I really examined these “reasons” not to get out of the city for a day, they were hollow. Why shouldn’t I travel somewhere just because it’s unfamiliar, or because I left my flip flops at home?
A quick Google search told me that the closest beach — and, fun fact, the oldest public beach in the U.S. — was in Revere, a town five miles north of Boston. So, armed with a borrowed swimsuit, a bath towel and a few friends, I finally pursued the elusive notion of “getting out of the city.”
From Blandford Station, we plunged from BU’s city campus into subway-tunnel darkness, then emerged above the ground and watched as high-rises and highways turned to trees and ocean. To have swapped settings so quickly — in just 40 minutes — was both dizzying and freeing. If I could reach a beach from Boston in less than an hour, where else could I go?
Stepping off the T, something so exclusively Boston, to the familiar smell of the Atlantic Ocean, a pillar of my summers at home, was bizarre. Intertwining these two opposite locations, city and shore, was like running into two friends from completely different circles together and wondering how they know each other.
Revere is less of a beach town and more of a town that borders a beach. It bears little resemblance to my native Jersey Shore and its boardwalks, amusement parks and nautical style, but Revere has the essentials: a combination sandwich-burger-pizza joint and, crucially, an ice cream shop.
Seeking caffeine, we wandered inland and found Chocolaffee, a Colombian cafe and bakery. Its plush leather seats and wooden tables made for a cozy welcome as we sipped iced coffee and perused Colombian pastries, popcorn and sweets to bring with us to the beach.
Even in the off-season, the beach was sparser than I expected for such a gorgeous, cloudless day. Compared to the crowds we wandered through just an hour ago, the shore and the sky seemed vast. We lounged on towels in the high-noon sun to relish the valuable space, swam in water pleasantly warm for September and collected shells as souvenirs.
For lunch, we sat outside at Nick’s Place, one of the only storefronts along the beach. People-watching from our picnic table and picking at chicken tenders, fries and pizza, I was deeply content with the simplicity of just sitting — not rushing to be anywhere, make a deadline or dodge the BU Bus at a crosswalk.
Since no beach day is complete without ice cream, our next stop was Twist & Shake, a pink and purple parlor complete with the scent of vanilla that hit me as soon as I stepped in.
At any beach, late afternoon is my absolute favorite time of day. The sun, previously high in the sky and intent on cooking me past well done despite my SPF 70, sinks lower into the horizon and softens everything it touches. The temperature cools and the breeze stirs, inviting layers over swimsuits and feet dug into the sand for warmth. 3 to 5 p.m. at the beach is one of life’s greatest pleasures.
As I sat on the beach enjoying my ice cream, I was grateful for the unexpected chance to bask in it during the school year. Trading construction noises and busy streets for seagull sounds and an expanse of sand left me feeling refreshed and eager for my next impromptu excursion.
Not only was Revere Beach a delightful way to spend a Saturday, it was quick, simple and cheap. My costs totaled $20, including transportation, coffee, lunch and dessert.
“Travel” doesn’t have to mean week-long excursions or big spending. For a student in the city seeking a change of pace, it can simply mean hopping on the T and going somewhere new.
This excursion caught me before the monotony of the school year cements me within my campus, and I’m glad it did. Now, I have this reminder that possibilities exist beyond BU and even Boston, and that escaping the city is not as arduous as I once thought.
Now, in the throes of the school year, I can reflect on souvenir shells, big blue skies and 3 p.m. sun and know that new experiences aren’t as far out of reach as they seem.
