College students have a name for all things outside the spectrum of their campuses: “townie.” The non-student residents of Ithaca are, of course, “townies,” but the term can be a generic adjective as well. Bars outside of Collegetown are townie bars; the Farmers’ Market is a townie gathering—you get the idea.
Most Cornell students are quite isolated from the rest of Ithaca. Why venture into the unknown when there are many eateries, bars, and shops on campus and in Collegetown? Students don’t live in Ithaca; we live in Cornell, many of us forming a distinct line between the two.
But back in my hometown of Canton, New York, I am a townie. St. Lawrence University students drive by my house in their polo shirts and SUVs while I’m barefoot in my yard or starting my rusty, hand-me-down Dodge Neon. I never even went on campus until my senior year of high school, even though I live less than a mile away. Two of my childhood friends who attend St. Lawrence have actually started referring to Canton residents as townies, even though I remind them that we are the townies.
Now, it’s interesting to have both perspectives. After living in Ithaca for five semesters and three summers, I’ve discovered what the town has to offer, including the wide array of restaurants, natural attractions, and unique theater shows and concerts outside of campus and Collegetown. When I can, I find ways to work directly with the local community. For instance, when I became a “big sister,” I did it directly through the Ithaca Youth Bureau rather than the Cornell Bigs program. I spent Saturdays of my junior year bargaining with my friends for rides to the Tompkins County SPCA , where I volunteered as a cat socializer, because it was outside the TCAT bus routes.
In short, I’ve crossed the student-townie line enough times in my hometown and in Ithaca to know that if you’re willing to trek into unfamiliar territory, you can get the best of both worlds.