College Hill is nice.
Really, it is. But I'm going to tell you that you should leave. What I mean is that, contrary to what you might expect, one of the best ways to make the most out of your years in college is to spend time away from campus. In fact, going out into the community and doing something you're passionate about can be one of the most fulfilling and fun uses of your time in college.
For example, my friend has made waves throughout the state by managing the political campaign of an upstart progressive candidate in Narragansett who managed to knock off a long-time incumbent. I've met a bunch of incredibly interesting and talented locals through skateboarding in Providence. And my old roommate even earned the chance to be a part of the team representing Providence at the National Poetry Slam in St. Paul after doing slam poetry at AS220 for years. The point is, it doesn't really matter what you end up doing, so long as you like it.
I realize there are a lot of hokey "make the most of your college experience" columns directed at freshmen at the beginning of each school year. I hope that this one can be useful to everyone from seniors on down — both now and once we enter the workforce.
"But wait!" you're thinking. "Didn't I work hard in high school to get into Brown, and don't I pay more than $50,000 a year just for the privilege of being on College Hill?" It seems weird to use some of our four ever-shortening (since I'm a senior, trust me on this one) years we have at school to do things completely unrelated to Brown. It's true, there are far more things to do at Brown than anyone ever could experience in four years — one would think we should try to max out our time on College Hill, right?
Far from a waste of time, hours spent outside the Brown Bubble actually can complement and enhance the rest of your experience during your (at least) four years in Providence. One of the best parts about having a consistent commitment out in Rhody is that you can create a totally college-free area of your life. It's great to have an escape away from all the stresses of college life.
You'll appreciate this when midterms and finals get crazy, extracurriculars try to turn into a full-time job, relationships hit the rocks... Oh, and don't get me started on the housing lottery. It can be incredibly relieving to be able to return to an area where all those stresses are simply irrelevant.
It also helps every once in a while to remember that there is a real world out there. Being reminded that there are people whose life stories don't involve "and then I went to an Ivy League school" definitely keeps things in perspective. Bombing a test will seem less like the end of the world when you interact with or help out someone who is struggling even with the cost of gas.
Leaving the Hill can also help contextualize what you learn in the classroom and make it more relevant. Volunteering in politics can bring to life the lessons that seem overly abstract in your political science class. Likewise, giving your time by helping out at the hospital can both remind you why you decided to be pre-med in the first place and keep you from hurling your orgo textbook through the twelfth floor SciLi window the night before a midterm.
Furthermore, it pays dividends to find out what the community you live in is actually like. Maybe if we got to know some native Rhode Islanders before making another joke about the Rhody accent or the more guido-inclined Pauly D clones hanging outside Spats, Rhode Islanders wouldn't want to tax us into oblivion. Growing up in a college town, I know from experience that a lot of town-gown tension is simply a result of a lack of interaction and understanding on both ends.
Lastly, realize that getting an experience that most campus-dwellers lack can set you apart. This can mean anything from having something unique to talk about at Ratty dinner or having the experience that gives you the leg up in the interview room.
So again, I urge you to try and develop a habit (no, not THAT kind of habit) that takes you out into the community. It doesn't matter what you're into. Like the environment? Think about working with an organization like the Rhode Island Sierra Club. Religious? Join a congregation off of College Hill. Maybe think about teaching kids about civics with Generation Citizen, or go find an area jam session and sit in.
Just make it fun and make it something you care about. You'll end up thanking yourself later.
Deep down, Kurt Walters '11 wishes he were Pauly D.
