😭🧑‍🎓 College kids are ditching New England

🥳 Happy Birthday to Caleb Ruvich! Caleb isn’t just any reader, he’s Emily’s husband(!), which basically makes him B-Side royalty. Have a great day!

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

For a long time, Southerners flocked to New England for higher ed. Now, the tables are turning.

These days, more prospective college students in the Northeast are opting for large, Southern public schools, according to the Globe. Here’s what to know:

🎓 The numbers don’t lie: Students are heading South. According to the Wall Street Journal, the number of Northern students going to Southern public universities has increased by 84% over the past two decades. But lately, that figure has increased 30% between 2018 to 2022 alone. At South Carolina’s Coastal Carolina University, applicants from New Englanders jumped 11.6% between 2024 and 2025.

📲 TikTok is partially to thank. Lifestyle content from students at these schools (like #RushTok and “day in my life” videos) get millions of views online, giving the schools a huge marketing boost. And we already know that New Englanders aren’t immune (see: locals spending thousands on “rush consultants”).

🥳 The main draw seems to be … fun. Let’s face it, compared to New England’s sometimes “Puritanical … resonance,” as one college coach put it, Southern schools’ warm weather, friendly people, and party vibes can look pretty appealing. When one former Boston student reflected on her choice between UNH and Clemson, she described her UNH tour: “It was rainy, and I was in a jacket, and everyone there just felt like — I don’t know how to explain it — they’re just Northern kids.” Spoiler: She chose Clemson.

😷 Especially in a post-COVID world. According to Kim Harrington Sokop, founder of Kim’s College Coaching & Prep, these sentiments were “supercharged” by COVID, when Northern students watched their Southern peers out and about while they were stuck on Zoom.

👋 Also driving the migration: Lower tuition costs, higher odds of getting into better schools thanks to “geographic diversity,” less of an emphasis on politics in an increasingly polarizing climate, and more Black students choosing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). 

😬 That said, Southern charm doesn’t work on everyone. All of the things that made UGA look appealing to one Boston Latin School student turned out to be the very same factors that ultimately created a “cultural mismatch.” The sororities weren’t inclusive, students were mostly from Georgia, there was too much partying and football, and the politics were too conservative. Now, she’s back in Boston. 

🧑‍🎓 Wanna know more? You can read the whole story here.

☕ 🛍 The corner diner that knows your 2 a.m. order, the record store full of nostalgia, the barber you’ve been using for years. These aren’t just businesses — they’re the heartbeat of our neighborhoods. And now’s your chance to make sure they get the love they deserve. The City of Boston’s Legacy Business Program is honoring 30 iconic businesses that have been a staple in the community for 10+ years. Nominate your favorite today. 

🗳️ A(nother) Republican gubernatorial candidate has entered the chat. Meet Michael Minogue, the GOP mega-donor and businessman who’s officially thrown his hat in the ring to challenge Gov. Healey next fall. With just under a year until the primary, Minogue is the third Republican to join the race, announcing his candidacy with a (surprisingly cinematic) video that pitches him as a “new kind of governor,” planning to disrupt the “current one-party system.” That said, he’ll face an uphill battle to unseat Healey … especially considering his sizable donations to MAGA causes.

🏃 No Boston qualifying time? No problem! ‘Cause there are two ways to run Boston that DON’T require throwing down a three-hour marathon: If you’re up for the task of fundraising while you train, the B.A.A.'s official lineup of charities that’ll dole out bibs for the 2026 race just dropped, which means apps to join their teams are likely open. Also open? Apps for the B.A.A.’s ’Medley to Marathon’ program, which offers Bostonians a cheaper, more direct path to enter the 2027 marathon after taking on the org’s 5k, 10k, and half marathon races. 

🏒 The PWHL is skating into Boston (again!). The Boston Fleet just dropped its 2025-26 schedule, which includes at least four(!) games at BU’s Agganis Arena: Dec. 3 and 7, Jan. 7, and March 17. The move doubles down on the success of last year’s two Boston games, which both sold out. The Jan. 7 game will be particularly spicy, with former Fleet captain Hilary Knight returning to Boston with her new team, the not-yet-named PWHL Seattle. Grab tickets here!

⭐ These local sleeper hits deserve a Michelin star. For the first time ever on Nov. 18, Boston restaurants will be included on the swanky Michelin guide. And though big-name, fancy-pants spots like O Ya and Nightshade Noodle Bar are the favorites to get a Michelin nod, several under-the-radar spots also deserve consideration, according to the Globe’s Devra First. On her list: JP’s Brassica Kitchen + Cafe, Brookline Thai sensation Mahaniyom, and Somerville Palestinian bakery Yafa Bakery & Cafe. Here are all her picks.

The B-Side is a proud media sponsor of College Fest, the back-to-school event returning to Fenway on Saturday for the 39th year. The event is at Citizens House of Blues from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature interactive booths from countless big brands and Boston favorites. Think merch, samples, and more free stuff around every corner. The event is free to attend; RSVP here to enter as a VIP and you’ll get special perks and swag!

🪩 Happy showgirl eve, Swifties! B-Side members get $5 off tickets to High Street Place’s “The Life of a Showgirl” listening party Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.

🍻 Now that it’s actually October … You might as well hit up an Oktoberfest celebration! B-Side members get $10 off Friday tickets at Harpoon Octoberfest.

The rumors are … not true: Despite rumblings on Instagram, Erewhon is NOT coming to Boston, but its viral $20 smoothies ARE. Let’s back up.

For the uninitiated, Erewhon is the luxury (read: $$$) Los Angeles grocery store chain responsible for such viral items as the $20 Hailey Bieber smoothie, and a single $19 strawberry. (But fun fact: The store actually has roots in Boston!)

In a cryptic IG post on Tuesday, the brand teased photos of 20 cities, including Boston, with the caption “A Taste of Erewhon in Your City. Coming soon.” The internet promptly lost its mind, speculating that the store would be opening here. But soon after, the caption was updated to “A Taste of Erewhon Shipping to Your City. Coming soon,” dashing commenters’ hopes.

Then, on Wednesday, the actual announcement dropped: They’d be shipping their $20 Hailey Bieber smoothie nationwide. All you need is a blender.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Claire Nicholas

🥤 Thanks for reading! We don’t even want to THINK about how the price of that smoothie after shipping. 

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, the City of Boston, for supporting local journalism and giving the MVP businesses of Boston their flowers. 

🛵 The results are in: 55% of readers say they’d support a potential ban on mopeds and e-bikes in Boston. One reader said: “I want to support gig workers but I also want to get to and from work in one piece sooooo.”

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].