Yep, it’s that time again, let’s talk up KW.

First off, yes, here I go again, talking about this place we love so dearly…….. yes I know what you’re thinking, maybe you can give me a chance. And just for some Jepoardy trivia: all thanks to Leo, he made me realize that my Chinese initials are, too, “KW”. Crazy boy.

So yeah, I donno… I was so bitter about being here in Waterloo in second year. I don’t know why— well actually I do know why, but is beyond the scope of this entry— but just it was just not a fun year to be in. And one of those things that got to me is this darn city we call Waterloo.

But really, come to think of it, when you snap out of it for one second, Waterloo really isn’t all that bad. It seems like it’s has become so natural to the mouth to say how much we hate Waterloo, but when someone asked me this question several weeks back, I really don’t have much of an answer.

I understand that people hate Waterloo because they associate the City with the institution. Surely I can understand that at times… it can be very frustrating and not fun. However, I feel that we will feel a lot better when we separate Waterloo from UW. I really think that I feel a lot better after doing this. Also, I went home too often last year— to the point that you’re only here in Waterloo for school and school only. No wonder I was totally bitter about this place.

Yes back to the question, I really can’t think of what’s bad in Waterloo. To be honest, besides the lack of authentic Chinese food and the crappy gay nitelife, there really isn’t anything that you can do in Toronto that you can’t do in Waterloo. Toronto surely has more alternatives of similar things… but the things you do are similar. Bubble tea, movies, clubbing, restaurants, karaoke, and shopping.. all can be done in KW— and you can do all that cheaper! C’mon where else can you get 1.75 beers in Toronto? And where can you actually find XS and S sizes in the clearance section? Fairview Park Mall. Who needs Vaughan outlet malls, just go to Waterloo!

I really think that KW has potential to be a great city, if there just was better accessibility to ammenities. Right now, a resident without a car, is like a man without his legs (pardon my non-PCness)— it’s so hard to get anywhere. KW has a very unique culture. It has its own arts and sophistication. If you guys remember Richard Florida’s The Rise of the Creative Class and how hey thinks that people need a creative communities to produce products of innovation. I really see KW as potential to be that city. All we need is to revitalize and raise density in Uptown, and Downtown Kitchener, put in the much anticipated LRT line, and I really see KW being a great city.

KW has potential really because it’s far enough from Toronto to really establish its own cultural centre, however Markham— despite exciting plans for a downtown— will remain a suburb of Toronto forever. Toronto will for eternity suck up any real arts, culture and entertainment— all the creative things— out of the GTA nodes.

Anyways, I’m writing this entry to remind myself that Waterloo is not so bad, in the case that I become viciously bitter again. The main gist of tonight’s ramble is that KW has the capability to be a vibrant, creative city.

Its weird how I always end up rambling in these entries. I apologize for my little off-topic dicussions, and commend those who’ve made it this far in the entry. :P

goodbye and goodnight!