Beantown. by Jenny B. '25

When my friends asked me what my spring break plans were, I said something along the lines of, “Oh, you know. Gonna roam around Boston :)” as if I was going to go on some grand tour. I only ended up going to like three or four locations by the time I’m writing this post, but I still had a great time!

[You can click on the pics below to enlarge them]

nerds

I found this small sketchbook in my drawer that I impulse-bought from Central Square last spring. I only had one pencil drawing and literally nothing else in it, so I decided to fill it up with things that I’ve seen over spring break.

Rogers Building (“The Small Dome”), Kresge Auditorium, Alchemist, Simmons Hall, Stata Center

I get this urge to keep every page perfect whenever I use a sketchbook, hence why I intimidate myself out of using one in the first place. I didn’t worry about perfect lines or accurate details this time; I just let my imagination run loose every so often and do whatever I wanted with the source material.

Anyway, someone told me that Simmons looks like the Borg cube from Star Trek and I can’t unsee it.

Joseph Hooker, Massachusetts State House (and the Sacred Cod), George Washington, “Tadpole Playground” sign, “Small Child Fountain”, the “Make Way for Ducklings” statue

The “MIT Bubble” is definitely a thing. As much as it’s inspiring to be around the latest research and topics in STEM, it gets exhausting when you’re getting fire-hosed⁠01 Getting an education from MIT has been likened to taking a drink from a fire hose—the sheer number of opportunities and rigor of our coursework can leave students feeling hosed. - mitadmissions.org in the face all the time. I need to detach myself from campus every once in a while and catch my breath, and re-immerse myself in the awe of a tourist visiting Boston for the first time.

BTW that’s supposed to say “Temple of the Sacred Cod.” I know it looks like “Temple Sacred of the Cod.” It’s an actual thing!

Benjamin Franklin’s obelisk, “Memento Mori” gravestone design, John Harvard, Charles Sumner, taxidermied pigeons, alive pigeons, turkeys

A few months back, my friend at Michigan State asked me if I had pictures of skulls engraved onto tombstones. This was for her archaeology class, I think. I remembered seeing them around Boston, but I didn’t have any pics saved on my phone. I finally got those pics to her, although she finished that class way back in December.

I hung around Harvard Square for a little bit later that afternoon because I had nothing to do. I should’ve brought my skateboard.

Red Line train interior, stuff people have written on public infrastructure

I still don’t know what that grandma thing means.

Fenway, Red Sox Hall-of-Famers (including Ted Williams before he got cryonically frozen), Government Center T station

I still have to watch a game at Fenway! I can’t believe I haven’t gone yet!

I drew this part of the sketchbook after I visited Quincy Market, which I left out because I was too tired to draw anything else and just wanted to make the blog post. I went out in my Red Sox jacket, which turned out to be a coincidence since the Park Street and Government Center stations were filled with people decked out in Red Sox gear. There happened to be a game between Baltimore and Boston (10-9) in Fenway that day.

the illest villains

BROCKHAMPTON (RIP the best boyband since One Direction 😔🙏) and Gorillaz have been my go-to Spotify picks lately—I’m listening to B.H.’s The Family as I edit this—but I wanted something fresh. Then I remembered that Kellen made a whole post about MF DOOM two years ago.

Nothing feels more badass than letting Vaudeville Villain fill your soundscape while you’re getting to your next destination on the MBTA bus. Kellen has EXQUISITE taste.

Souvenirs: MBTA pamphlet, Suzie the Grim Reaper

There’s still a lot of places left in Boston that I haven’t visited—but god I love Boston so much. I really want to make a second part for this post if I get the chance.