Every day I hear complaints about how boring Charleston is, about how there’s nothing to do, etc. And every day, I can’t help but wonder if that person complaining has actually looked around and taken advantage of their surroundings, as cliché as it sounds.

I’ll admit it, when I first got here; I used to be one of those students. Coming from a suburb of Chicago, I was slightly jarred by Charleston’s small size, and the fact that it seemed to have less things to do than my old town.

But while there might not be as many stores or attractions as a big city like Chicago, Charleston still has its own perks and quirks that makes it unique. After becoming city editor, I got to see this for the first time as I saw and explored different parts of the city that a lot of people didn’t. I got to know and see stores that sell things I’d never seen before and see a community that really cares about its neighbors.

In my old town, large corporations make up the majority of the businesses. Small businesses in my town are somewhat rare, or at least much rarer than there are here. I never realized how refreshing it was to see people who loved what they did and opened businesses purely to pursue their passion, whether it be selling antiques or books or owning a bakery. It’s great to come to a town where people can get their clothes and other things from smaller, family-owned businesses, instead of relying completely on Target, or Wal-Mart.

There’s something here for every student, if they’re willing to look around and make the most of the time they have in Charleston.

I believe if students at Eastern made the effort to show they care about the town they live in, the town will follow suit. If they took the time to see everything it has to offer, they would appreciate it here a little more.

Where else would you be able to find an analog only, vinyl recording studio and an antique store that sells actual bullets used in the Civil War in the same area?

There are places to fit every interest, from art to gaming to community service opportunities. There are open mic nights, free concerts, and many several local theatre companies. There are fundraisers, and community events going on all the time. There’s local, small businesses owned by families and people who live in and know the town extremely well.

While most of us, including me, have aspirations to travel and live in big cities, in countries all over the world, we should take time while we’re here, in a smaller town, to take advantage of what’s here. We won’t be in Charleston forever, and these few college years will come to an end sooner than we can imagine. I know I’ll regret time I did not make connections and explore every inch of this place, and seeing what it has to offer.

Cassie Buchman is a freshman  journalism major. She can be reached at [email protected].