While being back home may be exciting for the first few weeks, or maybe even a month, I’ve found myself to really be missing my home away from home. Antigonish may be a small town, but it is certainly far from boring. Needless to say, there are many things about the town that I find many of us students miss during summer break.
1. The Independence
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If you’re like me and living back in your parent’s house for summer break, you’ve probably quickly realized how much you miss the independence you have at St.FX. Living on your own or with friends back in Antigonish, you can plan out your own day without following anyone else’s schedule. Not to mention the dreaded “where are you going?” and “what time will you be home?” speech.
2. The SUB
Photo by Devon Chisholm
The U is an essential part of campus. Anything and everything seems to be in there, except for classes, which seems to make it even more beautiful. There’s so much to miss: “study” spaces for you and friends, the Bloomfield Café, new convenience store, campus store with all our X swag, and of course the Golden X Inn. Just thinking about this place can spark some summer blues.
3. The Community
Photo by Laura MacAulay
The community of Antigonish has some of the most kind-hearted people I have ever met. Unlike bigger cities, you can pass by so many people in the course of a day and receive a friendly hello or even have an entire conversation about your studies (which is definitely why you’re late for class every day). The weekly town events are also incredibly missed during summer break.
4. The Accessibility
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As one of many students who does not have a car in Antigonish, and one who lives out in the country at home, the accessibility is missed dearly during the summer. Living in a small town you can walk literally everywhere you need to go, which is seriously the easiest exercise ever.
5. The Pizza
Photo by Molly Barreca
God, how we miss our pizza hotspots. All feuds aside, there is nowhere quite like Nish to grab the perfect slice. Any time of the day (although we prefer the 3 am crawl), you can find students enjoying Kenny’s Pizza and The Wheel.
6. The Morning Grub
Photo by Caitlyn Ramsay
Nothing quite hits the spot after a night out like a hangover crawl. During summer break, it’s easy to miss the 11 am brunch at meal hall, the breakfast special at Snow Queen, breakfast buffet at the Prissy Pig, and delicious waffles from the Waffle Bus (because who says chocolate can’t be a breakfast food?)
7. The Campus
Photo by Laura MacAulay
Although it’s beautiful in every season, summer really brings out the beauty in the StFX campus grounds. A big reason why many of us picked X, a campus so colourful and vibrant is easy to miss.
8. The Local Hangouts
Photo courtesy of @kingdommountain
Another thing to long for are the local hangout spots around Antigonish. For me, I miss the hospitality of the Dreamcatcher’s Café because the owners truly make you feel at home (not to mention it provides large heaping portions of delicious food). It’s also easy to miss the lively atmosphere of the Tall and Small, and their must-try baked goods.
9. The Night Life
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Antigonish may be small, but we have a killer night life. Whether your crew hits up the Inn, Piper’s, or Splitties, the night life is definitely something we all miss during our time home. Let’s face it, as annoying as they may be, Friday nights just aren’t the same without a Yik Yak feed full of places that are hot that night.
10. The Students
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Here’s a no-brainer. At St.FX, we are lucky to be able to call ourselves a family. With a small student population, it’s easy to walk through campus from one class to another and see about ten people you know. No matter what residence they’re from, you’ll miss these guys when separated for four months. If you’re going through withdrawal, remember this: it’s never too early to start planning your next night out in the Fall.
Is it September yet?
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