Editor’s Note: This is a guest commentary. The opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board.

When I first stepped foot into Cinemapolis as an introverted first-year student struggling to find my place, I immediately felt a sense of belonging within Ithaca’s independent film scene. From greeting the smiling, dedicated faces at the box office to deciding what seasoning I wanted on my popcorn, I knew it would be just the first trip of many throughout my college years.

Going to Cinemapolis quickly became a weekly tradition, making me realize how beautiful, strange and ultimately rewarding it can be to share a piece of media with passionate friends. Everything from the violent body horror in “Titane” to the coming-of-age story explored in “The Worst Person in the World” became vital moments in my college journey. While some showings prompted nearly empty auditoriums, I’ve also had some incredible experiences with packed crowds — like when I went to see “Everything Everywhere All at Once” on opening night.

In the confusing, often overwhelming process that is moving to college, I was lucky enough to find a place I could truly call home. Having a place like Cinemapolis such a short drive away is an extraordinarily rare opportunity that more people should take advantage of during their college years, especially film students looking to go into the industry themselves one day.

In the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s increasingly important to support locally owned theaters rather than big chain houses as moviegoing tastes have completely changed since streaming. We’ve seen a significant decrease in public spaces where people can simply come together and enjoy each other’s company. In many ways, we’ve forgotten the power of connecting with new people over shared interests.

In addition to providing an outlet to see hard-to-find arthouse films, places like Cinemapolis create an environment for people to share new experiences together. It is the kind of environment where the staff recognize you by name and have a genuine curiosity about what movie you want to see. Hearing audience members discuss what they have just seen and contemplating what it all meant is something that you don’t always get at big chain theaters.

The lobby isn’t just a place to wait in line to buy your ticket or popcorn: It’s a place to engage in rich conversations with people in the community. These kinds of experiences are much harder to come by at places like AMC and Regal. The auditoriums and sound systems may be big, but the community, not so much.

While Cinemapolis is known to show some of the biggest awards contenders of any given year around the holidays, they began playing more mainstream films — without sacrificing their stellar indie line-ups — in May 2023. “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3” became the first Marvel movie the theater ever showed.

And beyond new releases, the theater also occasionally offers hand-picked line-ups. For example, this past December, the theater played staff picks like the original “Black Christmas” and “The Thing” to celebrate the holiday season. Cinemapolis makes true efforts to reach and accommodate as many audiences as possible, making moviegoing more accessible than ever.

Beyond going to Cinemapolis specifically, my hope is that more people will go out of their comfort zone and take a chance on new kinds of films. Films that maybe they haven’t heard of before, or with actors that they aren’t immediately familiar with. I understand how difficult it can be as college students to make the time to go see a movie, especially as the semester gets busier and busier. But places like Cinemapolis and Cornell Cinema, too, are vital to our collective culture.

Looking back over my past three years at Ithaca, whether I was having a rough day or just feeling overwhelmed and depressed about the state of the world, Cinemapolis was always there for me. I know it can provide that feeling for so many other people too. While I may never get my popcorn order down, I know I can always rely on a trip to the theater when I need it.

For my money, you can’t go wrong with any of the popcorn options though.