I moved to Buffalo in January from tropical paradise in Singapore. Of course I was in for a rude awakening, what else could I have expected? I knew Buffalo was not going to be as big, advanced or as happening as Singapore or even my hometown of Hyderabad, India but I didn’t think it would be this boring and slow.
This letter remains in the shape it was sent in and has not been altered.
I woke up on Friday expecting “Jesus is King” to be available on Spotify. Instead, I woke up to various music publications announcing Kanye West’s failure to release on time.
We are almost three weeks away from the unofficial start of the UB Bulls basketball season (an exhibition against Daemen). And a quick glance at this season’s schedule –– posted earlier this month –– will tell you that Buffalo didn’t schedule any top-tier teams like it did last year and there aren’t a lot of tough teams on the schedule, either. Last year, if they hadn’t won the MAC, the Bulls were probably in as an at-large. This season, unless they run the table and win every game, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll have this opportunity again. It’s MAC or bust.
Buffalo has no living residents, at least that’s what you would assume browsing anything related to UB. Think “A Quiet Place 2” except there’s no John Krasinksi, in fact, there’s nobody at all. But who needs ‘em, right? At least we have white columns, bricks from the 1980s and decades-old infrastructure.
I have been to many gorgeous places throughout my life: Saguaro National Park, the National Seashore in Cape Cod, the National Buffalo Wing Festival, but nothing is prettier to me than UB’s North Campus.
When faced with a difficult decision, fraternity has taught us to live with integrity, stand up for our beliefs, and respect everyone’s rights. It has also shown us why the University at Buffalo needs strong student leadership.
I was about 12 years old, when “Super Bass” came on. Instantly, I was allured by the song. My body started involuntarily jumping around to the music. And after a few verses, I caught on to a few repeated phrases. Soon enough, two preteens were screaming the lyrics, parading down the sidewalk.
UB Fall Fest’s reputation used to extend past the boundaries of campus. Students who attended UB in 2012 had access to see J. Cole, Childish Gambino and French Montana take the stage all in the same night for no cost –– other than the student activity fee that is already part of their bill.
As a Buffalo Bandette, I’ve danced at the KeyBank Center countless times, but this time was different. I walked into an arena with no lacrosse players, no turf and more lights than I’ve ever seen in my entire life. And the experience was one I will never forget: dancing on stage with New Kids on the Block.
No industry boasts problematic faves like the music scene –– with some of the most problematic holding titles as icons. But you still love them, you belt their lyrics and mimic their dance moves.
What does it mean when a white woman tells a Black woman to be civil? You would assume that the woman being told to be civil was out of control. That they were yelling. That they were using profanity. That they were not giving others a chance to contribute to the conversation. Unfortunately, none of this has to be true when you are a Black woman in our society. All that is required to be deemed uncivil is an opposing stance.
As a campus resident, my most economical choice for food is a meal plan, of which I have the 14. This is feasible for the majority of those who choose on-campus dining options. But the majority of students don’t live with the rather debilitating GI disorder known as Crohn’s Disease, which has stripped me of the ability to eat wheat and dairy products safely.
"I’ve got two tickets to the UB football game and Eddie Money is performing.” This is how it (pretty much) went down on Oct. 8, 2016, when rock icon Eddie Money was set to play a home football game and the Blanchet brothers (us) were rocking a buzz cut and frosted tips.
I started Juuling this summer after my friend left his Juul in my car. As a first-time smoker, I enjoyed it, it hit easy and didn’t even leave me smelling like an ashtray. I found a new drinking companion. Until I went into work one morning, after vaping all night and had an hour-long cough attack.
Would you made the jump from the NCAA to the NFL, knowing you could never turn back? That was a decision former UB football star Tyree Jackson made before he missed the cut on the Buffalo Bills’ final roster.
Low and behold, I found a footbridge almost exclusively used by staff who work in the buildings in the southwest corner of North Campus. We encountered a larger mess of bottles, cans, wrappers and those little white napkins and cups that have the bold blue letters on them.
Where I am right now, on this Tuesday afternoon, is on a train to Buffalo from Schenectady. My head is pounding, my body aches and I desperately need sleep. After everything I’ve gone through in the last day, I fully understand why I’m on this train. But what I am struggling with is comprehending how much my life has changed in just 24 hours.
When I woke up on May 21, I adamantly decided to wait to adopt another cat. I had no idea that I would end up with two kittens later that day.
Nineteen meal swipes never felt like enough for me. Whenever I go get chicken tenders at Fowl Play, I always want every sauce available, especially their famous “Boom Boom Sauce.” Sadly, that ends up costing extra.
Solutions by The State News
