Ask the Gav': What's the Best Thing About Your Hometown?

May 16, 2019

Welcome to the last Ask the Gav' of the semester! In anticipation of summer, when many of us will be going to a little place called home, we've just gotta ask:

What's the best thing about your hometown?

Maddie Bockus, Features Editor

My hometown of Manchester, CT is a very unique town with so much to offer. It has a wide variety of things to do, including annual events like the famous Manchester Road Race that takes place every Thanksgiving. Each year, over 10,000 runners line up on Main Street in the crisp, early morning air. It is a time when all the people of Manchester, and all those traveling in from near and far, come together to run about five miles or to cheer on those running. Regardless of the weather, I always manage to get up early and head out to Main Street to show support for the most special day of the year in my town. The road race reminds me of the best parts of my hometown—the people and the feeling of community and togetherness.

Joe Ezersky, Culture Editorial Assistant

I love how resilient Cleveland is. People from Cleveland have been through a lot, and we’re reminded of that at every opportunity. Coming to BC and telling people I’m from Cleveland has resulted in a constant parade of Browns jokes, Lebron jokes, or quoting the Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video. This seems exhausting, but there’s something about Cleveland that makes people maintain hope and sometimes even revel in our past failures. Things are looking up for us both in sports and economically, and the fact that we can see a bit of light means all the jokes and pain have been worth it. We’ve already endured a lot—what’s a little more?

Lizzy Davis, Associate Opinions Editor

In 1831, North Effingham seceded from Effingham, and the new town celebrated its independence by changing its name to “Freedom.” Nestled between New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington Valley and Lakes Region, the tiny town of Freedom is pretty tame. But at the end of August, everyone turns out for Old Home Week, a NH tradition since 1899. There’s a craft fair, a bingo night, a lobster dinner, and of course, a parade. It was the highlight of every summer, from catching candy off parade floats as a toddler to face-painting the younger kids as a teen. While Boston may be bumpin’ all year round, the strength of community that brought everyone together during that one week in August is what makes Freedom so special.

Meg Loughman, 2018 Editor-in-Chief

I think back to gas station Icees at 1 a.m., cruising down the beachside highway with the windows down, tearing through backroads with nothing but the moon and the beams of the headlights to guide us. There's something oddly special about Gulfport, Mississippi. While I've spent a lifetime reflecting on the darker realities of where I come from, it's true that sticky hot summers and the faint buzz of mosquitos will always make me feel at home. Where everyone is a neighbor and the food is even better than they say it is. Where time moves a little bit slower and those long days on the Gulf melt seamlessly into nights by the bayou. I love these roots not only for teaching me how to grow, but also for keeping me grounded.