Exploring Oakland
by Kyr B.
Moving more than 17 hours away from my hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, for my freshman year at Carnegie Mellon, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect of Pittsburgh. I knew the weather would be different—with fall quickly becoming my new favorite season and the first snow a magical experience each year. What I didn’t realize was how in love I would fall with my new city! With so many neighborhoods, there were endless places to explore and new connections around every corner.
Little did I know, I would discover the best hidden gems right in Oakland, the neighborhood that is home to CMU’s campus. As a new boba aficionado, I found shops to try everywhere I looked, from Fuku Tea on Forbes Avenue to Tsocaa on the other side of campus. I quickly found my favorite shop in Rose Tea on Craig Street, a quick three minute walk from both Residence on Fifth and Fairfax, my freshman and sophomore housing communities. It was the perfect spot to catch up with friends, get a sweet treat on my way home from organic chemistry lab or celebrate a successful show process with my friends in our student theatre organization. I even got to know the family that owns it by name, and they remember my order when I come in! If you want to try it, just order a mango green tea with strawberry popping boba, less ice, and no tapioca pearls. I hope you love it as much as I do!
One of my favorite ways to spend my free time during my freshman year, aside from my clubs, was to spend time alone while exploring the city. I would put on my headphones, pick a favorite playlist and walk around getting to know my new city. It’s still one of my favorite ways to spend an off day or decompress during finals season. Through this, I discovered one of my favorite spots in Oakland - the Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History, where CMU students get in free with our arts pass! I can spend hours walking through the exhibits, from life-sized dinosaurs to the modern art tucked behind majestic Grecian pillars. Connected to the museums is the gorgeous Carnegie Library—my number one study spot during the semester. A lesser known fact is that the windows on one of the lower floors of book stacks at the library let you see into the dinosaur exhibit at the natural history museum next door! It’s one of my favorite hidden gems.
Throughout my time at CMU, I not only fell in love with the school and its vibrant campus, but also with the sense of community and discovery our Oakland neighborhood offers. It’s here that I grew, explored and made some of my most cherished college memories—turning Pittsburgh into a city I’ll always call home.