From eating hot pot in Chinatown to shopping on Newbury Street, students made the most of their long weekend trips to Boston.

Every long weekend, boarding students who stay on campus have the opportunity to spend a day in Boston. Many choose to shop or eat, while others find unique ways to explore the city.

The trip begins with a bus departing from Reed Campus Center around 10:00 a.m., taking students on a two-hour ride to South Station. Upon arrival, each student receives $40 to spend between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Though they are required to check in with faculty via text every two hours, they are otherwise free to explore the city however they like. This past long weekend, the trip took place on Saturday, Feb. 8.

Ozora Yazaki, a sophomore boarder from Tokyo, Japan, enjoys the energy and variety that a city like Boston offers.

“I just love to be in city,” he said. “I was born and raised in city, so I love city more than rural or suburban areas. There’s always something happening, and I love that.”

One of the most popular destinations among Williston students is Chinatown.

Amanda Yee, a senior boarder from Hong Kong, appreciates Chinatown for its familiar flavors and various food options.

“I feel like I go to Chinatown all the time,” Amanda said. “It’s a must-do thing for me. I either get hotpot, dim sum, or noodles like ramen. I also get boba or pastry. It reminds me of home.”

Amanda’s favorite dim sum place is Winsor Dim Sum Café.

The convenience of the location is another reason Amanda enjoys going to Chinatown.

“[Chinatown] is close to where we get dropped off so we just go there,” Amanda said. “I’m usually already hungry when we get dropped off and I don’t want to go all the way to other part of the city to get lunch.”

Haruka Okuno, a sophomore boarder from Tokyo, along with Ozora and Amanda recommends Tora, a Japanese restaurant located in Chinatown.

“They have pretty good Japanese food and it’s affordable too,” Haruka said.

Some of their dishes include various types of ramen around $17, kaisen don, a Japanese dish of seafood served over rice, from $15, and rolls around $15.

Another common stop for students is Newbury Street, home to a variety of well-known shops including Nike, Zara, Lululemon, and Urban Outfitters.

Ozora enjoys the shopping experience on Newbury Street, not just for the variety but for the in-person shopping experience.

“There are a lot more options in Boston compared to Easthampton or the malls around here,” Ozora said. “Especially when it comes to clothing, I don’t like online shopping. I want to try things on, so [Newbury Street] is where I do most of my shopping.”

Ozora usually goes shopping at Uniqlo, Zara, and MUJI.

For seafood lovers like Kamal Sergeev, a sophomore boarder from Kazan, Russia, Legal Sea Foods is a classic stop.

“I have to go Legal Sea Foods at least once when I go there,” Kamal said. “I feel obligated to go there. I usually order their Lobster Roll. It’s just so good.”

Legal Sea Foods is a restaurant chain  primarily located in Massachusetts. There are five location across Boston.

Prudential Center is another great place to shop and eat.

Sarah Sawyer, an English teacher, was one of the chaperones for this past long weekend Boston trip. She enjoys going to Eataly, a chain Italian marketplace, located mainly on the second floor of the Prudential Center.

“When I go to Boston, I have to go Eataly,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer stopped by there with a Visual and Performing Arts Department Head, Natania Hume, at the end of the trip.

Boston Common is another favorite destination, especially when the weather is nice.

“Last spring, I walked through there to see some cute cherry blossoms and trees and took some pictures,” Haruka said. “This long weekend, I went there and the pond was frozen. It was so pretty.”

Beyond food and shopping, some students take the opportunity to visit Boston’s many museums and cultural spots, like the Museum of Fine Arts or the Freedom Trail.

David An, a senior boarder from Daegu, South Korea, visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum during the long weekend before.

“It felt like I was inside some ancient kingdom,” David said. “It felt so large because their architecture is so unique. I could feel the fresh air and trees, and I could smell old buildings. It felt really nice.”

Sawyer enjoys going to museums during the Boston trip as well.

“Usually I go to a museum like MFA [Museum of Fine Arts] or the Isabella Stuart Gardner,” Sawyer said. “This time, I hung out with Ms. Hume, who is great company for a museum trip, or anything else.”

Sawyer and Hume walked from South Station, where they got dropped off, to the Museum of Fine Arts to see an exhibit of Swiss-American photographer Robert Frank’s photographs.

Despite the bustling city experience, students eventually get comfortable navigating Boston on their own.

“I’m usually really bad when it comes to direction, but now that I’ve been there so many times, I don’t even need Google Maps,” Haruka said. “I just know where I want to go.”