Renovating a house is fucking crazy. I know firsthand, after a summer full of sawdust, nails, screaming power tools, and overwhelming frustration. I’m not talking about just a coat of paint and new furniture—I’m talking full out Extreme Home Makeover, minus an Adderall-popping host and dramatic sob story.

I’ll be honest: I painted, cleaned and organized. That’s about it. Someone would be running around with an eye gouged out if I was trusted with a drill, but it was truly impressive to see what got done: The rugs were ripped up, revealing beautiful hardwood floors. Ceilings in several rooms were torn down and replaced by new sheet rock, as were the hideous fake-tiled walls in the kitchen. Ugly paint jobs were covered up with new, less nauseating colors. The dilapidated pool in the back was torn down to make more room for the new doghouse. Bathrooms were redone, 50-year-old cabinets were stripped and refinished, and new electrical outlets were installed in each room, among many other projects. Oh yea, no one was hired to do this; my significant other (and owner of the home), family and some friends handled it—barely.

Why is this important? It’s not really, but the idea behind a 22-year-old Ph.D. student owning real estate is. Where else in America can an average, not particularly wealthy young person afford an investment like a house? Not many places—let alone a city, which we often forget is what Buffalo is. Inexpensive real estate makes an ideal place for recent college grads, and buying some early can help you make some bank down the road.

After the initial shock of being dumped on a concrete campus three years ago, the despair and boredom settled and the city “grew on me,” as so many said it would. So here I am, planning to live, at least for a few years, in a city I swore to desert as soon as possible.

Most of you are attempting to ease into the dorm lifestyle now, cursing the diminishing number of bars on Main Street and the fact you can’t walk anywhere except maybe Citgo to get some beer. Maybe you’re living in a hot new apartment complex but are beginning to wonder why. Look past all of that: Buffalo has a lot to offer, and things are looking up.

There is murmured talk of new beginnings, a renaissance of sorts. Historic landmarks like the H.H. Richardson Complex and Central Terminal are getting much needed renovations; new businesses are opening; we have a burgeoning wind power plant; shoddy downtown districts are being looked at for development— and hey, Buffalo is # 31 on Forbes list of top cities for singles, which is what most college students are. We even beat out Tampa. Who needs sunshine? We have bars that stay open until 4 a.m. and a ton of them at that.

So give Buffalo a chance. It’s hard to see past its frigid winters and bad rep, but make an effort. Don’t be afraid to try anything once.

Find out about local music. Try restaurants beyond the ubiquitous chains on Maple. Use the Metro. Talk to Buffalonians to find the best local dive bars. Go to art galleries. Read local publications. Learn about Buffalo. Hopefully we here at Generation can help you out with that. We’ll keep you updated on all the entertainment and music that’s coming up, what issues are affecting UB, the city and the nation, and even throw in some dick and fart jokes for good measure.

Welcome to Buffalo.

Best,
Tara Jeanne Sullivan
Editor in Chief