Despite cautions against congregating in public places, roughly 1,500 local and international students attended Saturday's College Day on the Parkway
The annual event, now in its 15th year, promotes Philadelphia's cultural centers along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
For the first year, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology -- though not on the parkway -- participated in College Day festivities. Attendance was relatively low at that particular venue.
"There were 83 people until 1:30," said College senior Tom Geraghty, who was working a booth at the museum. "I'm sure we'll get more people later."
But College Day could not serve as a total shield from the tragedy of Sept. 11, which was still fresh in the minds of many in attendance.
"I'm sure there is a little effect," said Eric Sylvin, 24. "Lots of people are depressed. Nothing's going to heal the wounds. Things like this I'll always remember."
But some international students felt otherwise, enjoying a day away from CNN. Nineteen-year-old Utkarsh Jhala, from Rowan University, said that College Day provided a welcomed distraction from the 24-hour news cycle.
"There is no relation," Jhala said.
Christian Marusezyk, 21, left New York, calling it "depressing." The German student said he came to visit Philadelphia to forget images of the World Trade Center towers collapsing.
For him, and many others, College Day on the Parkway was an enjoyable distraction.
And at the Academy of Natural Sciences, people said the effects were minimal.
"I don't believe [the attacks] had any effect per se," said John D'Ortoria, 43, a receptionist at the academy. "People-wise, it only affects the day-to-day [museum] goers."
D'Ortoria added that this year's turnout was comparable to last year.
Rohini and Saipriya Sen, both 18 and from Bryn Mawr College, also said they did not notice anything different about this year's event.
"There wasn't even a security check," Rohini Sen said.
And many students said they were able to take comfort in the past. More than 1,500 people came to admire objects and artifacts that are symbols of America's past glory and form a part of its rich heritage.
The annual program is sponsored by the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
