Two diverse worlds enrich the lives of Swarthmore students: a lush suburban retreat and a metropolitan cultural feast. In early April, one clan of seniors—Justin Kane, Erika Kottenmeier, Olga Rostapshova, Kevin Setter, and Judy Chen—set out on a spring jaunt into Philadelphia before graduation. During one of their last weekends together as students, they packed a Saturday full of good food and fun in the far corners of the city.

Just 23 minutes away on the SEPTA R3 Media/Elwyn line, Philadelphia offers students a rich blend of neighborhoods to explore. From the Italian Market to South Street, the colorful sights of fresh produce to orange-and-purple spiked hair mesmerize passersby. Stopping for a Moroccan food fest, visitors can settle onto plump floor cushions—enjoying the gifts of triple-jointed belly dancers between the eight courses of their meal.

Philadelphia’s size, cultural offerings, quality, and character especially impress Kottenmeier, who is from a suburb of Honolulu. “In Hawaii, we don’t have such high buildings, nor such large cities," she says. “Philly was a bit intimidating, but I really like the idea of living in a place where everything is available in a fairly small radius. I also think the city has so much character in University City versus South Street and Center City versus Rittenhouse Square: It’s all so different in such a relatively small space, and it’s all available."

From Maryville, Tenn., Kane is particularly enthralled by Philadelphia’s architecture. “Sometimes, I don’t really have a destination in mind, and I just walk around," he says. “It’s a beautiful city, with some unique architecture and public spaces that are perfect for just idling. The architecture gives Philadelphia its character, its distinct neighborhoods, its moods."

Setter, raised in Arlington, Va. (near Washington, D.C.), finds that “Philadelphia is much less artificial, much more organic. The whole city has the feeling of being very old and having been developed in stages." He adds: “For me, one of the most captivating sights in Philadelphia is the factories lining the Schuylkill River. They look so monstrous and surreal—bizarrely lighted, belching smoke—that I just stare at them as I cross over the river."

Rostapshova, who grew up in the Ukraine (see June 2001 Bulletin), considers herself a “city person." She says: “Just having a train station at the bottom of campus makes the college experience seem less ‘bubble-like’ and allows students to have access to a much wider variety of activities and interact with people from many different walks of life. I have lived in several cities, and it was wonderful to discover Philadelphia, a city so unique and full of its own life."

Born and raised in Reno, Nev., Chen now wants to live in a city in the near future because her “experience at Swarthmore has made me appreciate city life," she says. Chen visits Philadelphia two or three weekends each month, enjoying South Street, eating in restaurants, going to Philadelphia Orchestra concerts, or seeing movies at the Ritz with friends. “When we are eating or spending time in the city, we are usually more relaxed and better able to focus on spending time with one another rather than worrying about impending assignments," says Chen.

After a week crammed with classes, papers, exams—and suburban calm—the city beat entices students away from campus for a weekend romp.