When I shipped off to college in fall of 2001, I didn’t take the traditional route. I lived off campus in an apartment with some close friends.
It was a blast moving from rural St. Lawrence County to the more lively City of Buffalo. The best part by far was the access to live music which was abundant and affordable.
Unlike most students moving away from home, I didn’t experience life in the dorms and while I did work for the student newspaper and made friends with some folks in my field of study, my time on campus was probably much less than those whose social lives were centered on campus.
I think it allowed me to take in what Buffalo had to offer on a deeper level than many of my fellow students.
I’m in no way saying that one experience is better than another, as I’m sure I missed out on some of the security, safety and friendships campus life offers, but I think I saw a lot more of the area because of my situation.
What was nice about Buffalo, especially in the Elmwood and University areas of the city is that local businesses, restaurants and community groups made strong efforts to attract students into the community.
Student discounts were nice, as were friendly folks who shared with me the best chicken wings in Buffalo, shout out to Gabriel’s Gate, and other fun little gems I could have easily missed. I found myself volunteering with some groups who shared food with the homeless and helped some community centers in the area.
In St. Lawrence County, we are fortunate enough to have four universities. All four colleges play a significant role in the community as some of the county’s largest employers.
In just a week or two, the populations of Canton and Potsdam will grow by thousands as students return for the fall semester.
The streets will be full of young adults who come from areas that are often a lot different than St. Lawrence County.
Our area benefits greatly from the commerce they bring, especially if they feel comfortable venturing off of…
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