Quindecim

Issue date: 8/28/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Auni Husted Colorful rowhouses in Hampden, a mostly residential neighborhood in northern Baltimore.

Media Credit: Auni Husted Baltimore is full of quirks, often artistic and humorous- such as this Art Car by the Washington Monument of Baltimore in the Mount Vernon neighborhood.

What to do on campus
Goucher's campus covers 287 acres- take advantage of all of them. Check out the wooded trail around our perimeter (it's easiest to enter behind Wagner, beyond the athletic practice fields, or by the back gate), but avoid going when the cross-country or equestrian teams will be on them. Revel in our massive lawns- have a picnic on the Residential Quad, study outside behind the Library, meet friends on Mary Fisher lawn. Jump on the tire swing or on one of the many painted swings around campus. When school is in full force, make sure you take advantage of some of our opportunities for socialization and study. The library is open 24/7- go there when you're working on a paper late at night, instead of bothering your roommate by typing away in your dorm- and has seemingly infinite online databases. Read the newspapers we get for free each day. Listen to a friend's or create your own radio show. Join a club (we've got about 60!), do some community service, or find an on-campus job. Start a band with friends and play a (paying) gig at the Gopher Hole. Do some gardening with our Campus Agricultural Co-Op. Get to know your Connections facilitators and your CA- they can help you figure out what else there is to do.

What to do in Towson
Towson really has a college town feel to it, due mostly to the presence of the nearly 20,000-student Towson University just down York Road. Of course, there is the Towson Town Center Mall, the AMC movie theatre, and Target in walking distance. You'll find a Barnes and Noble as well as Starbucks. However, there are quite a few local gems in Towson too. Some of my favorite, completely walkable Towson hotspots include the used bookstore Ukazoo, located in the strip mall behind Superfresh. They have a wide selection and very reasonable prices. Pasta Mista, also by Superfresh, is a smart choice for off-campus dining. Allegheny Avenue, off Towson Circle, is my favorite street in Towson. You can get organic coffee and snacks at Zia's Café, feast on authentic (but slightly more expensive) Italian food at Stra'Pazza, or wake up to a delicious breakfast at Towson Hot Bagels. The courthouse in town is a pleasant place for a picnic. Café Spice, located on York Road by the movie theatre, is another wonderful place to eat. The Baltimore County Public Library, across from the movie theatre, is worth a visit; its architecture is impressive on its own.

What to do in Baltimore
Although I'll admit, I didn't know much or really care to learn a whole lot about Baltimore before coming to Goucher, I have been so utterly impressed by Charm City in my first two years here. The city has a very rich and unique history and has changed dramatically in the past 100, 50, and even 25 years. It tends to get an unfavorable reputation in the mainstream media, due to shows like The Wire and books like The Corner (which are both excellent, but only represent a part of Baltimore). However, many feel that the city is going through a cultural renaissance right now. There is a burgeoning arts and music scene that is both accessible and visible. I would recommend trying to see some of the art museums in the area- including the American Visionary Arts Museum in Federal Hill, the Walters Art Museum in Mount Vernon, or the Baltimore Museum of Art near Johns Hopkins Homewood campus. The neighborhood of Hampden, just northwest of Johns Hopkins Homewood campus, is one of my favorites- West 36th Street, or "The Avenue," is lined with antique stores, cafes, and shops. Lexington Market is a feast for all of the senses and a definite must-see for all Baltimoreans. Orioles games at Camden Yards are inexpensive and quintessentially Baltimore. We've got the Hippodrome, Power Plant Live, and the Recher for headliner concerts and quite a number of smaller venues throughout the city. We've also got the prize-winning National Aquarium in the Inner Harbor (hint: it's $5 after 5 pm on Fridays in the fall, compared to the $20 standard fare). Fells Point and Federal Hill are two popular neighborhoods on either side of the Inner Harbor that are definitely worth a visit as well. As long as you use common sense- go in groups, bring a cell phone and map, etc.-Baltimore is yours to explore.

How to get around
Do not fear if you don't have a car on campus. The Baltimore CollegeTown Network's shuttle service provides reliable and desirable service. It is free, safe, and convenient- it doesn't get much better than that. The MTA #8 bus goes from Lutherville (two miles north of Goucher), through Towson, and all the way downtown. You can buy a $3.50 day pass, take the #8 bus northbound to Lutherville (catch it by the Quarter condo complex, across from Superfresh), and then hop on the Light Rail southbound to get into the city. It goes through Mount Washington (a funky area with some great restaurants), Mount Vernon (a more urban neighborhood that is home to the Washington Monument of Baltimore and the Walters Art Museum), Penn Station area, Camden Yards, and BWI. The MTA website was recently redesigned (www.mtamaryland.com) and is much more user-friendly now; take advantage of their new trip planner.

Baltimore City vs. Baltimore County
Baltimore City, the largest city in Maryland, is home to 637,500 inhabitants and is about 92 square miles. It was founded in 1729 by Lord Baltimore, a member of the Irish House of Lords. In a horseshoe-shape around the city is Baltimore County. Much more residential and less densely populated, Baltimore County contains countless suburbs, including Towson, the county seat. Baltimore County stretches all the way to the Pennsylvania border. Our mailing address says we are in Baltimore, indicating that we are in Baltimore County (Towson)- but I think it's important to realize we are not in Baltimore City.

How to find out what's happening
The Information Desk located in Pearlstone Atrium is specifically intended to help students find things to do. Open every day from 11 am to 9 pm, you can buy discount movie tickets, get free maps, pick up a shuttle schedule (see below), purchase stamps when the post office is closed, and learn more about the area. This is a great resource if, say, you have a doctor's appointment downtown and need to find a way to get there. The Info Desk also sells tickets for monthly bus trips and the Goucher airport shuttle for Thanksgiving and winter break. To learn more about the Info Desk, stop by or e-mail Lamar Hylton in the Office of Student Engagement.
The Baltimore CollegeTown Network is a wonderful organization that provides a nearly hourly shuttle service between Goucher and other local colleges (Towson, Loyola, College of Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins, and MICA) as well as Penn Station and the Inner Harbor. They also host events for area college students and promote similar happenings. For a shuttle schedule, check their website or get a paper copy at the Information Desk in Pearlstone. Their brochures are generally informative and the "fun guide" on their website is another good starting point to learn more about the area.
The city's alternative weekly, the City Paper is hip, straightforward, and useful for finding out what's happening in Baltimore. It isn't always delivered to campus, but you can pick one up around Towson circle or on virtually any street corner in the city. Their weekly guide to events will always point you in the right direction. Urbanite is a monthly magazine that you can also find near Towson circle. It provides insight into unique city features, updates on ongoing projects and literary contributions from residents.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools