<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the end of April approaches, it feels almost surreal to know that in just a few weeks I will be a college graduate. My emotions shift constantly, at times I feel nostalgic, at others anxious, but more than anything, grateful. In my four years at Tulane, I’ve met strangers who became lifelong friends, studied harder than I ever thought possible, worked a variety of odd jobs, and, most importantly, fallen in love with New Orleans.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When I was eighteen, I made a somewhat unorthodox decision: I selected the Early Decision option on the Common App and bound myself to Tulane. What made this choice especially significant was that I had never visited New Orleans, let alone the school I was committing to if accepted. When I shared my decision with friends, family, and my high school counselor, I was often met with confusion and, at times, subtle disapproval. “What if you hate it?” “How do you know it’s the right fit?” “Have you even been to the South?” were just a few of the questions I heard.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite this, I felt an unexpected sense of certainty. I also recognize how fortunate I was to have parents who supported me in taking that leap. Perhaps because they are both immigrants, I have always felt a pull to go far from home, to build something new for myself, a life that felt entirely my own. For reasons I still can’t fully explain, I was drawn to a riverfront city I knew only through stories of king cakes, alligators and The Animals 1974 classic “House of the Rising Sun.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, as my time at Tulane and in the Big Easy comes to a close, it feels only right to look back on these years and piece together what I would consider the “perfect weekend” in New Orleans. After four years of late nights and adventures, I’d like to think I’ve earned the authority to craft an itinerary, one that captures the places, moments, and rhythms of the city I’ve come to love so deeply.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Friday is my favorite day of the week. For most of my time at Tulane, I had two classes on Fridays, and I always tried to keep them in the morning so I could ease into the afternoon. There is no better way to start the weekend than with happy hour at Chais Delachaise. My go to is a glass of sauvignon blanc paired with their six dollar fries, which are perfect for sharing. Once the evening is underway, the real highlight is heading to Tipitina’s for a show. From late May through early September, Tips hosts Free Fridays, with music usually starting around 8 pm, making it an easy and lively way to slip into the night. The perfect Friday ends with a nightcap at Dos Jefes Cigar Bar on Tchoupitoulas, where you can listen to live jazz and play a game of pool without paying a cover fee.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saturday mornings are meant for sleeping in. My roommates would probably call me an early bird, but there is something especially satisfying about one morning a week without the interruption of an alarm clock. Last semester, my friends and I stumbled upon Cafe Malou just a week after it opened, and it quickly became one of our favorite finds. It is the kind of cozy spot that feels made for slow, post night out brunches. Even better, it sits right next to Octavia Books, an ideal place to wander through and pick up something for a lazy afternoon.The rest of the day calls for exactly that, lounging, lingering, and letting the city move at its own pace before the night begins. By evening, it is time to head to Frenchmen Street. Often considered a more local, laid back alternative to Bourbon Street, it is where the music feels closer and the energy more genuine. Stops at 30/90 and Snug Harbor are essential, each offering their own version of the rhythm that makes New Orleans impossible to leave behind.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While many people treat Sunday as a reset day, a slow wind down before the week begins, I tend to think life is too short to let it slip by so quietly. With that in mind, Sunday morning should begin with coffee and a pastry at La Boulangerie on Magazine. I am especially partial to their chocolate croissants and whatever seasonal desserts happen to be on display. After breakfast, a walk through the Julia Street galleries is the perfect way to enjoy the slower pace of the morning while still taking in the creativity and character that define the city. When the sun starts to set, head over to the Fly where you can relax underneath the oak trees and enjoy a picnic spread with friends. No proper weekend can conclude without a sweet treat, and there is no better place to end it than Creole Creamery, where a scoop or two feels like the perfect final note to a weekend well spent.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In many ways, this imagined weekend feels like a reflection of everything Tulane and New Orleans have given me: structure and spontaneity, routine and surprise, familiarity and constant discovery. It is less about any single place or moment and more about the soul of a city that has shaped how I move through my days. As I prepare to leave, I find myself less interested in trying to hold on to New Orleans as it was, and more grateful for how it changed the way I notice things, the way I spend time, and the way I say yes to experiences I once would have hesitated to take. Leaving does not feel like an ending so much as a continuation, carrying forward the same curiosity and openness that first brought me here, still chasing the feeling of a city that always seems to be playing music somewhere just out of sight.</span></p>
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Farewell New Orleans: My Perfect Weekend Itinerary
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