It’s no surprise that the Princeton Review rated Hempstead as the fourth worst college town in the United States. If this is shocking to anyone, need we remind you of the Popeye’s shooting in 2009 or the string of machete robberies in 2010? The Pride doesn’t exactly hail from the best town.
There’s no question that we have plenty in the nightlife department. Between Nacho’s, Dizzy’s, Social, McHebe’s and now Bedrock all less than half a mile from campus, finding a place to drink is easier than using Pride Print.
Yes, college is supposed to be about living on the edge- going out too much, staying out too late, drinking a little too much and repeating, but that doesn’t mean we waste our days too. No, we aren’t in a town with coffee shops where we can go to meet our friends and study; we don’t have decent shopping right outside the Hofstra gates and Campus Pizza is never as good as it is the night before.
It’s time we have to accept that, as students, we need to quit sitting in our dorms and waiting for the sun to set to start our weekend and take advantage of the day.
As prospective students and first-years, Hofstra gave us the promise of New York City being our classroom. Why can’t our surroundings be our classrooms as well?
Garden City, one of Long Island’s most prosperous areas, is less than three miles away. Since the Blue Beetle makes the trip to Mineola train station, a farther destination, why can’t it stop there? With shopping, restaurants and an overwhelming feeling of safety, Garden City is every college town’s dream. The Blue Beetle should provide a stop on Franklin Avenue on the weekends during the day.
The curriculum should also incorporate Long Island more. There are plenty of museums, local theaters, and businesses in Nassau County that students can go to without the long travel time.
Additionally, other universities offer their students the option to purchase a certain meal plan that would allow them to spend some of that money at an off campus location. Hofstra could work with local restaurants to make this a possibility for students. This would benefit local business and allow students to explore their surroundings.
Lastly, Hofstra should focus on different selling points to attract students. Promoting a Blue Beetle bus stop at Garden City is far better than saying students can walk to the great Nassau Coliseum. Maybe it’s time for Hofstra to redo its brochures.