Tufts University - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

If you are venturing off campus for a night, chances are you’ll take the T into Cambridge or Boston—but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything going on in Tufts’ hometowns. Whether you pronounce them “Medfuhd and Sumahville” or “Medford and Somerville,” Tufts’ local areas can be accurately categorized as basic college towns. On the Medford side, you’ll find a few local favorite restaurants (Rose’s has the best Chinese around, and Sweet Creams is a tasty favorite with custom-made ice cream flavors), but generally, there is more to do in Somerville’s Davis Square. Sometimes called “the Paris of Boston,” Davis Square is Somerville’s “trendy night spot,” though what you’ll find there is pretty typical of any college town. You’ll find students all over the Square, in Diesel playing pool or sipping a latté, in the Somerville Theater watching second-run flicks at affordable prices, and at Denise’s/JP Licks where they’ll be sampling some of the best ice cream in Boston. Don’t forget to grab extra napkins.

Tufts has the advantage of being just a 15-minute T-ride from the center of a city where there is plenty of nightlife, concerts, and shows to entertain the Tufts student body, as well as those of the other 55 Boston-area schools. Although you won’t find as many Tufts students in the city as you will in Medford and Somerville, it can make for much better variety in nightlife and activities. Once you’ve explored the area, you’ll find there really is something for every taste in this varied, college-friendly region.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

The Tufts campus spans two towns,... The Tufts campus spans two towns, Medford and Somerville. Medford, which is more towards the uphill side of campus, is quieter, but right along the edge of campus is Boston Avenue. There you’ll find Espresso’s, the ‘official’ Tufts pizza place, as well as Chinese food, a couple of Italian restaurants, a Dunkin Donuts, a liquor store, a crepe restaurant, and a convenience store, among other things. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

You are really close to Boston,... You are really close to Boston, and that proximity affords you great shopping, museums, bars, clubs, and touristy spots. Medford and Somerville are fine, and all of the merchants and locals that I’ve dealt with are always really nice. I would not walk around back alleys late at night by myself, but short of that, it’s fine. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Medford itself is a small town and... Medford itself is a small town and doesn’t have much other than Tufts and its downtown area, Medford Square. Boston’s a huge town with a ton of colleges that you can visit, and a city with lots of places to go. Boston’s about 15 minutes away through the subway, and it’s readily accessible. Harvard and MIT are within 10 minutes’ reach, and there’s a lot to do in Harvard Square. There aren’t many places to stay away from—you’re in college, so you might as well experiment with everything. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

The atmosphere is good. It’s not... The atmosphere is good. It’s not too crazy, and there are some things to do at Davis Square nearby. If you get on the subway and ride to the next stop away from the school, you end up in Harvard Square, and there’s a lot to do there, with shopping and restaurants. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Boston is the biggest college town... Boston is the biggest college town in the country. There are over 500,000 students in the city, so there are always things to do and people to meet. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Go to the MIT museum. It is an interactive, hands-on museum displaying Artificial Intelligence, Hall of Holograms, Mechanical Artwork, and other really incredible exhibits. Best of all, it is only $2 to get in with your student ID.

5 Fun Facts about Boston:
• Boston has over 55 colleges within a five-mile radius.
• When the school year begins, the average age in Boston is 26.
• The Big Dig (www.masspike.com/bigdig/index.html) is the most expensive highway project in U.S. history—at a cost of more than $1 billion per mile; the city has been building the new underground highway for over 13 years.
• The T is the first American subway system, opened in 1898.
• Boston Common was the first public park in America.

Famous Bostonians:
Samuel Adams
Aerosmith
Ben Affleck
F. Lee Bailey
Alexander G. Bell
E.E. Cummings
Matt Damon
John F. Kennedy
Jack Lemmon
Leonard Nimoy
Paul Revere
Donna Summer
James Taylor
Sam Waterston

Local Slang:
Beantown – Boston, denoting the town’s celebrity for baked beans
Book it – To get out of some place quickly
Bubbla – Water fountain
Chowdahead – Stupid person
Bulkie Roll – Kaiser roll for a sandwich
Hahvahd Sqaah – Harvard Square, spoken with a local accent
Jimmies – Sprinkles for ice cream
Rotary – A traffic circle
Mass-holes – Boston’s bad drivers
The T – The Boston subway system
Wicked – Adverb used to amplify the effect of another adverb i.e. “The Red Sox are wicked good this year!”

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: Chris Cote
Hometown: Ipswich, MA
Major: International Relations

Chris is on the Tufts Ultimate Frisbee team.

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