People all across the country still shudder when they hear the word “Detroit,” and some still refer to the Motor City as a grimy, disgusting place.
Those same people would not be surprised to hear about the break-in that occurred on Fairfield this past weekend.
However, I strongly hope that students who call the University of Detroit Mercy home have a different opinion of the city in which they reside, and can see how great the city actually is.
As far as safety is concerned, every university in the country is going to experience thefts, break-ins and other things along that line. Most people who attend this school don’t realize that they are on one of the safest campuses in Michigan.
The University of Detroit Mercy ranked 12th on Niche’s list of the safest college campuses in the state. The list took into account things such as arrests, freshman retention rate and local crime.
Our campus ranked better than the likes of the well-known University of Michigan, Michigan State and Central Michigan. Smaller also does not mean safer, as we rank higher than Hope, Alma and Olivet, as well.
Students here should feel safe because they are. They also need to venture outside of the fences and take in some incredible attractions that make the city of Detroit.
It takes fifteen minutes to get from campus to downtown, where there are numerous places waiting to be explored.
Art admirers must check out the Detroit Institute of Art, an extremely classy building that is perfect to visit on a rainy day.
Sports fans have three astonishing sports venues as the tips of their fingers. Cheap tickets can be purchased to watch a ballgame at Comerica Park, and it’s crucial to check out the historic Joe Louis Arena before the new stadium is built in a couple years.
And, it’s always fun to cheer on the Lions at Ford Field, hopefully avoiding an infamous last-minute loss.
Finally, Belle Isle is a great place to spend a sunny weekend afternoon.
Belle Isle is the largest city park in the country. It contains an aquarium, a golf course and numerous monuments.
These are just a handful of the hundreds of places where you can kill some time in our city. It will take five minutes out of your day to check out an activity to do downtown.
Who knows? You might actually have a great time instead being stuck on your couch all day.
While it is important to always be on the lookout and to travel in groups in the evening, that advice holds no matter what college campus you are on.
The city of Detroit has a lot to offer. It’s time our students realized it.
