The Unofficial Guide and Boston Apparel Co Present

Thing #80 To Do in Boston: Ride the T from end to end 

Find out what Wonderland is. 

This one should be a kill-two-birds-with-one-stone sort of endeavor. The T lines are expansive, and by riding them all end to end, you’ll basically see (or at least physically pass over) most of Boston and its closer suburbs. Check this off on your way to see the Arboretum, or Harvard Forest or Revere Beach, and finally satiate your curiosity about the mysterious names of some of the T stops.

Start with the trusty Red Line. From Alewife to Ashmont/Braintree, stop at Porter for flatbread pizza and candlepin bowling, Central for hipster hangouts and McDonald’s, Park for ice-skating, Downtown Crossing for theater or Macy’s, South Station for a quick jaunt to Chinatown, and Fields Corner for Vietnamese food. 

The Green Line is next up. It’s a little tricky, but doable if you know your alphabet and understand that that line will branch off into three different routes. Notable stops are the North Station for Italian food, Lechmere for shopping at Cambridgeside Galleria, Copley for Newbury Street, Symphony for Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts, Museum of Fine Arts for art, Fenway for baseball, and BU Central for Boston University. The Green Line names are pretty self-explanatory, probably to make up for the confusing three-way split. We think you’ll be fine on this one. 

The Orange Line is like a ‘70s version of the Red Line (think lots of faux-wood paneling and orange decor), but there are some gems along the way. Things worth getting off the T for here are Haymarket, where you’ll find the year-round farmer’s market with super cheap fruits and veggies, Chinatown for dim sum, Mass Ave if you want to dine at one of the South End’s many gourmet restaurants, and Forest Hills for the arboretum. 

And finally, we’ve come to the Blue Line, that mysterious, short piece of railing that stubbornly remains unconnected to the Red Line. Main attractions are the New England Aquarium, Logan International Airport (if you feel a strong need to hop town, buy a one-way ticket to the first place you see on the terminal, and never look back), Revere Beach, and of course, Wonderland, if only so you can say you’ve been there. 

Ride donning your MIT gear so you never forget where you started. It'll be a long journey, but you can then say you’ve been to every single T stop in Boston. Much more daring than facing your pset. Infinitely more memorable.

The Unofficial Guide and Boston Apparel Co Present:

Thing #24 To Do in Boston: Shop on Newbury St

Better have more than $20 in your pocket. 

Shopping on Newbury Street, Boston’s version of Fifth Avenue, will surely remind you that you’re a broke-ass college student. Many of the stores on Newbury Street are more intimidating than going to your professor’s office hours. They’re the type of stores that have four things on display at a time, and none of them cost less than $5,000. And no, Chanel does not offer financial aid.

Admittedly, there are some stores more within the college student budget that are definitely worth checking out. There are your typical, chain stores: American Apparel, Anthropologie, Timberland,

Forever 21, H&M, Nordstrom Rack. And then there are some smaller, funky boutiques, like LIT on Newbury and No Rest For Bridget. There are also many cafes, salons, art galleries, and, of course, the flagship Newbury Comics store. In fact, Newbury Street is brimming with all kinds of stores, tucked away in beautiful brownstones.

Window shop, people watch, and wander into any store or gallery that catches your eye. Don't know what to wear to fit the Newbury St vibe? Throw on your college gear and you'll be sure to blend right in! Be sure to skip the over-priced, mediocre restaurants that dot the street. Instead, make a stop at Georgetown Cupcakes. After a long day of shopping, you deserve a treat. May we suggest the Salted Caramel or Mint Cookies & Creme?