If you are beginning your second year at Saint Louis University and still do not know where “The Loop” is, or you have never enjoyed a day at the Botanical Garden, you are not only on your way to wasting your college career, but you may have also unknowingly insulted St. Louis.

If you plan on spending four years of your life in a new city, taking advantage of what it has to offer becomes almost a duty. How else will you indulge in this opportunity to see the world?

Few students have had, or will have, the privilege of touring the globe at some point in their lives. While it is much more fulfilling to set foot on another continent, there is no reason why students should not explore the city where they have come to study.

It must be remembered that academics are only a portion of what college offers. In fact, a college education should be an amalgam of academics, social education, artistic enrichment and, most importantly, the cultivation of a unique and open worldview. All these elements are essential parts of four years of undergraduate experience, and they can be achieved with a little bit of legwork.

Close to SLU, students can take advantage of a variety of different ethnic restaurants located on South Grand, or enjoy the Fabulous Fox Theatre or the Powell Hall Symphony just a few blocks north of campus.

These experiences will not only enrich their college experience, but will help students build a relationship with the city that hosts four years of their lives.

There is no reason not to feel at home in college, even if it is school. St. Louis is the crossroads of America, where cultures mix and mingle on the streets and in the shops. From the metropolitan feel of Washington Avenue to the prairies of Forest Park, the Gateway City is just that — a gateway to a great variety of people and experiences.