UNH Manchester Meet-up Culture: An Area Exploration

Part of being a UNH Manchester student is the opportunity to explore the area’s diverse culture. The cities of Boston and Portsmouth are an easy day trip away, perfect for meet-ups and local activities. 
    Meetup.com is a site that enables users to search for local meet-ups within the desired distance of their zip code. Membership to the site is free, and mostly all meet-up groups do not demand member fees. Meet-up groups provide the opportunity to socialize with local people and become more involved in the community. This, and an awareness of local activities, can be very valuable to the UNHM student during and after their time here. Some examples of meet-ups near Manchester include groups for varying age groups and such hobbyist groups as the Nashua Ladies Book Club. Looking to other cities nearby broadens your decision options, Boston being notable for its many hobbyist and minority meet-ups.
    Check Facebook and other social media sites for meet-ups in the area. On Sunday, September 14, I attended a meeting in Brookline, MA, hosted by the Massachusetts branch of the Jane Austen Society of North America. The meeting featured Deb Barnum, the Coordinator for the JASNA Vermont Region, as a guest speaker on the collecting and publishing of Pride and Prejudice over the past 200 years. According to former UNH student Chelsea Cahill, “the fact that they had someone who was so passionate about the subject they were speaking of was nice. The history of book publishing seems like a dry topic, but it was made accessible and interesting with a connection to a well-loved book. I learned a lot about book history and found the lecture very worthwhile.” 
    To make sure you get the full experience of the area, take a day trip to Portsmouth or Boston, where there are plenty of activities for students. I recently took a day trip to Portsmouth with some friends that I was able to tie into my studies. I am currently taking a class on The World of Henry VIII. My friends and I, being anglophiles, decided to make the trip British-themed, including an excursion to the Henry VIII Carvery in Kittery, ME. Portsmouth’s only authentic British pub is the Coat of Arms, which provided very good British drinks and atmosphere. Pickwick’s Mercantile carried many British cookbooks and famous author dolls, along with other goodies. I would rate this day trip:
Theme: A British Invasion of Portsmouth
Satisfaction: 10/10
Overall Cost: 30 dollars personally, could do less (about 20)
Parking: Hanover Street Garage
Ease of Travel (parking included): High
    For future travel concerns, UNH Manchester students may ride any bus for free on the Manchester Transit Authority. They also receive 5 dollars off of a Boston Express regular trip round ticket.
      Now that you've read about local meet-ups and activities, what would you like to do? Visit Meetup.com and start searching.