College in Upstate New York: What Siena Students Want You to Know

What is the Capital Region? According to Empire State Development: "The Capital Region is located in the eastern part of mid-New York State, covering 5,199 square miles and includes the Albany, Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga areas." Otherwise known as: Siena University's home. Find out what Saints think about living the college and post-college life in this neck of the woods.

1. There's NOTHING to do around here.

The truth: There's too much to do! Go to SPAC to see Pitbull or your favorite country artist. Check out the massive Troy Waterfront Farmers Market and browse the surrounding thrift stores and book shops. Go ziplining, hiking, fishing, skiing, tubing, swimming or snowboarding. Check out the art galleries in Albany or the New York State Museum. The options for soaking up culture and recreation are endless.

2. The food scene is lame.

The truth: Between chefs from NYC coming upstate to start their own thing to culinary entrepreneurs homegrown right here, upstate NY does food well. Breakfast? We love The Works Café or Uncommon Grounds. Korean? Seoul's is amazing. Super fine dining for when your family is in town? Nationally renowned Yono's was a James Beard Foundation Awards nominee. Looking for somewhere to grab a delicious bite for lunch? Simone's Kitchen, Tipsy Moose, Tipsy Taco… we frequent those and many more when we're not eating right here on campus.

3. There's nowhere to work. Jobs? Forget about it. Internships? WHATEVER.

The truth: The Capital Region is packed with opportunities to gain real experience before graduation, no matter what you're studying. You could draft legislation at the New York State Capitol, create content or plan events for one of our local sports teams, build your resumé with a nonprofit, or intern with one of the region's many businesses, schools, healthcare organizations and startups.

Being in the heart of the Capital Region, the opportunities are endless.

4. It's pretty much impossible to get around if you don't own a car.

The truth: Uber, Lyft, buses and bikes make it incredibly easy to get from point A to point B in and around the Capital Region. And with the Albany International Airport and a busy Amtrak train station less than 20 minutes from our campus, it's also a piece of cake to travel outside the city limits.

5. We all seriously wish we went to a college on the beach.

The truth: Honestly, we kind of do, depending on the season and if you stay on campus over the summer. Lake George is about a half hour north and offers a lot of water activities, like parasailing and boating. When we're not sunbathing up there, we're laying out on our own "Padua Beach"-the grassy area outside Padua Hall where we toss a ball, study and lay out. Okay, no sand, but we'll take four seasons and gorgeous weather over sweltering heat every day.

6. The people...ehh.

The truth: The people in the Capital Region are downright awesome. Everyone is kind. Everyone takes pride in their town. We love that there are so many young entrepreneurs starting their own businesses here too-from farmer's market stands to local coffee shops. Down in Albany, Saints mingle with professionals at cafes, networking events and conferences. It's an inspiring place to be, and on top of that, so many Saints stick around. The alumni network around here is fierce.

See Why Saints Call This Place Home

Want to see the Capital Region for yourself? Visit Siena and experience the place Saints call home. Tour campus, explore Loudonville and get a feel for what college life looks like just minutes from Albany, Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga.

Because around here, the college experience does not stop at the edge of campus.