Many of us here are comfortable identifying ourselves as Cornellians, but we are ambivalent about being Ithacans. Back home in the great city of New York I brag, gloat and do lots of other things involving exaggerated claims about how I have become a card-carrying hick. Instead of promoting Ithaca for the enlightened vital urban center that it is, I am guilty of propagating the notion that Cornell is an oasis in a backwater, isolated from all culture, sophistication and commerce.

Yet I am fully aware that this is an unfair and misleading characterization of Ithaca. For some reason, Cornellians are often amused by our imaginary place amongst the heathens. Recently I came to the realization that not only is it time for me to outwardly embrace Ithaca, but to inspire my fellow undergrads to join me. Like many of my peers, my trips to the Commons have been limited to Halloween costume shopping at Evolution, frozen margaritas at Viva Taqueria, in-desperate-need-of-clean-pants runs to Morgan’s (RIP Pookie) and perusals at Petrune.

A few weeks ago in one of my City and Regional Planning classes (CRP is part of the planning department in Architecture, Art and Planning, aka the non-architects that hang out at the Dragon), we were assigned to interview a diverse group of people to get a sense of their cognitive maps of Ithaca. In planning, a cognitive map refers to a visual representation of how an individual perceives the area in question. In addition, we were asked to locate any intersubjectivity. Intersubjectivity is a place or meaning, regardless of its accuracy, shared by multiple people. Even though PAM 210 statistical test standards were not met, I found several of the class’ compiled maps extremely telling.

Unsurprisingly, while the Greek students fairly accurately identified multiple fraternity and sorority houses on campus and correctly placed an overwhelming majority of the bars and restaurants in Collegetown, they were largely unaware of the fact that there is more to Ithaca than the pedestrian section of the Commons and Pyramid Mall. Cornellians — non-Greeks included and especially ones without cars — do not venture much into the City of Ithaca and subsequently did not put a high level of detail about it in their maps. But even though the undergrads interviewed did not place much of Ithaca on paper, they spoke of stories of trips to the Farmer’s Market, popcorn at the Apple Festival, barbequing at Buttermilk Falls and movies at the mall. For me, the difference between the interview and the map highlights the disconnect between what Cornellians perceive as fun diversions from the library and parts of their personal surroundings.

Although locals frequently drew some aspect of the Arts Quad on their cognitive maps, they had a hard time placing much of Cornell’s campus between the Statler and Cayuga Heights. While these maps suggested that Ithacans find campus very accessible, as they may frequent Cornell for lectures, movies, concerts and picnics in the Plantations, they used very different language to describe campus as compared to the City of Ithaca. For these interviewees, campus is busy, active and formal while Ithaca is bucolic, friendly and beautiful. Some Ithacans even felt that while they enjoy the many resources that campus has to offer, changes are made, buildings are built and infrastructure is laid without relating it to the greater Ithaca context. However, this is not a well-kept secret; Ithacans display their displeasure everywhere from town-hall meetings to the Ithaca Journal to bumper stickers. The most frequently seen and pointed at Cornell is the “Real Ithacans don’t turn on red” bumper sticker. Before this year, turns were allowed during red lights on the Cornell campus, unlike the rest of downtown Ithaca. Locals (coincidentally, like Manhattanites) find turning on red rude and dangerous.

For us to become more integrated into our Upstate surroundings we need to do more than just visit the local attractions; we must choose to freely mix with Ithacans. But this is not a one way street — Ithacans need to embrace us as well. Complementing my call for Cornellians’ descent from the Hill, I would like to see more Ithacans in our classrooms, on our quads, at our restaurants and maybe even our parties, engaging and meeting students.

While there are tangible town-gown issues that extend beyond roadway etiquette, Cornell and Ithaca go together like a horse and buggy. However, I will leave the darker side to our relationship and other cheesy analogies for next column. As I try to become a local over this year, I will pass along some of my insights, anecdotes and factoids to my fellow Cornellians in the hope that one day you will venture off the Hill descend upon Cayuga’s waters and walk the streets of our glorious city.

Simone Greenbaum is a senior in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning. She can be contacted at sg336@cornell.edu.