Just because you go to school in Binghamton, it doesn’t mean you have to actually like it.

A note to all incoming students out there: you may be bummed out because your friends poke fun at you for going to ‘the middle of nowhere’ to spend the next four years of your life. But before you give in to their teasing, take it from me: don’t be fooled by the school’s location. If you try hard enough, you will find ways to entertain yourself.

Despite what those friends at home think, Binghamton does in fact have an active nightlife scene. It’s not hard to find out about it either. Just look for someone passing around small sheets of paper or keep an eye on your Facebook newsfeed ‘ party invites are never hard to come by at a school this size. Be it at a bar, a frat or a club, there’s always something worth checking out if you’re up for dancing and having a fun night out.

And if going ‘dee-tee’ is not your thing, there’s Late Nite Binghamton in the renovated Old University Union down the staircase below the Mandela Room. It’s a small haven to socialize, play video games on the perimeter and listen to live music. And, most importantly, there are cookies. Lots of cookies.

Despite what you might assume, there’s more to our off-campus area than just dive bars. If you’re looking for a place to relax and chill with your friends after a hard week of studying, try out the K&K Old Teahouse on Bunn Hill Road just down the street from campus. Try the different flavors of bubble tea (my favorites are taro and passion fruit) and if you’re feeling bold, try it with tapioca. Yes, they’re slippery and slimy, but they taste better than they look.

I almost forgot Binghamton’s greatest landmark ‘ Walmart, never your average shopping experience. It could consist of running up and down aisles for what seems like forever, indecisive about whether to get one or two boxes of cereal. It could be having extensive arguments over which brand of microwave is better as a friend’s birthday present. Even the simplest things, like grocery shopping with your friends, can always be turned into an adventure.

I saved the best for last ‘ the Nature Preserve! When the weather is tolerable (at the start of fall or early spring), go through the woods and sit by the lake. I definitely recommend taking a hike up to the very top, even if you’re a little lazy. The view is definitely worth the climb. Just go in the daytime and stick to the trail. Or, you could go at night and get lost, that’s always a good story too.

So remember, don’t take the ‘small town’ look of Binghamton too seriously. Binghamton isn’t New York, but that doesn’t mean you will be pulling out your hair agonizing over what to do.