Mayor Martin Walsh announced Thursday the start of the #MeetBoston Challenge, an initiative aimed at getting first-year students attending Boston-area colleges and universities to explore the city outside of their college campuses.
Students participate in the challenge by posting photos or videos of at least 10 Boston-area locations from a provided list on social media using the #MeetBoston hashtag.
The deadline to complete the challenge is Sept. 30, at which point students who have completed the challenge will receive a personalized certificate and be entered into a competition to meet Walsh at City Hall, according to the Mayor’s press release.
John Barros, chief of economic development for the City of Boston, wrote in an email that the challenge is meant as a fun opportunity for students to get the know the city.
“We created the #MeetBoston challenge to welcome incoming college students with a flexible and creative guide to explore Boston,” Barros wrote.
The initiative was also launched to help solve the “college bubble” issue, especially since a lot of colleges in and around the city are located near each other, Barros wrote.
“Boston is made up of 26 neighborhoods, each with its own identity and vibrant flair,” Barros wrote. “We want students to travel throughout the city.”
While the #MeetBoston challenge is geared toward the benefit of first-year students, Barros mentioned that it could implicate financial benefits for the city.
“It’s important to note that the #MeetBoston challenge can be completed on any budget,” Barros wrote. “[However] it does help to point students towards our bustling commercial districts through the outer neighborhoods and Main Streets districts.”
In the long term, Barros wrote that the increased foot traffic in areas farther from college campuses could benefit small businesses on an individual level as well.
“Through this initiative, a student in Brighton may find a favorite restaurant in East Boston that they continue to visit the four years they live here; this student might not have found this eatery without the challenge,” Barros wrote.
Boston University spokesperson Colin Riley acknowledged that students’ focus should be on academic work and campus groups, but said that there was a lot of time to be found in a well-scheduled week.
“BU may be a little bit odd because [of its] size and diversity, but in my experience BU students take advantage of the city and the region,” Riley said.
In an email, Riley mentioned the popularity of the First-Year Student Outreach Project at Boston University in helping students become more familiar with the city.
“I think #MeetBoston will add to that experience and I hope students are able to participate and enjoy the challenge,” Riley said.
Several residents said they were excited to hear about the new challenge.
Jerry O’Shea, 27, of the North End, said that he hadn’t known about the initiative but that it seemed like a good idea.
“The Boston Calendar of Events has a lot of obscure and interesting stuff … so long as [the students] are safe,” O’Shea said.
Nick DelTorto, 28, of the North End, called the challenge a good idea although he hadn’t heard of it before.
“If [students] feel like they want to just stay stuck in your apartment then you can go check out coffee shops and stuff that’s not outdoors,” DelTorto said.
Alyssa Walter, 24, of the North End, said she had definitely noticed the “college bubble”, and encouraged students to explore Boston.
“It’s a great city and small enough that you won’t get too lost,” Walter said. “You can see it all in an afternoon or a weekend. College goes by so fast it’ll be over before you know it.”
