One of the conversations I remember having at least once a week with my fellow undergrads during my first two years on campus centered on where we could find something good to eat in the city. The commonly held belief during those years was that, outside of Canale’s, Vona’s and Ruby Tuesday, Oswego was void of any establishment for people under 21 to go and have a good time. So we mostly just sat around campus, shuffling three times a day to the dining hall for each meal, complaining that the city didn’t offer us enough to do.
It is an easy misconception to fall prey to. Campus is separated enough from the city that the majority of students, especially those without cars, rarely have the chance to go beyond campus. And worse, when they finally do get the chance, those trips usually involve either being shuttled to a house party and then back to campus by the D-Bus, or squeezing into the backseat of a car with the rest of your floor mates en route to Wal-Mart.
Suffice it to say, not enough students actually go out and explore what Oswego has to offer, a fact that we at The Oswegonian think is a shame. Oswego may not be as large as the cities many Oswego State students hail from, but that in no way means it does not still have an incredible amount to offer. The city is full of history, parks with great views and unique shops and restaurants. A student can spend their entire four (and, on occasion, five) years in Oswego exploring the city and still not have sampled everything is has to offer. The important thing is to be willing give Oswego a fair chance.
So that’s where we hope to help. We are launching a new, online-only section called The Lighthouse. We will provide reviews of local shops and eateries, recommendations for each weekend, and a blog that will have posts ranging from a ranking of Oswego’s best sandwiches to the area’s best museums to visit before graduation. We also plan to soon launch an interactive map, which will provide the locations of all the various activities we review and recommend. We intend to act as a city guide, but with a focus geared more toward the interests of an Oswego State student.
Why The Lighthouse? Well, as a lighthouse guides sailors home through dark seas, we hope to guide students to the experiences that make four years in Oswego better. Corny? Probably. But nonetheless, we can think of no better name than one in tribute to one of the city’s most scenic and well-known beacons. So check back often, because posts to The Lighthouse will happen all week, every week for the entirety of each semester.
