This weekend as I made my way to the grocery store and stocked up on the fruit, vegetables and other foods that I had been putting off buying for as long as I was able to, I couldn't help thinking about my lifestyle here in New York City and how different it is from life on the Hill. Before this semester, I knew I was lucky at Hamilton, but I had not yet realized how unique and fleeting our college way of life is on the enclosed and beautiful campus we call home for eight months of the year.
Although I have spent most of my life in a relatively large city, I have not been on my own. Going to Hamilton was my first move out into the world. But I have since realized that my life in college has been short of independent. While we make our own decisions, decide our own schedules, and chose how we want to conduct ourselves, most of our real needs are taken care of. We have within walking distance everything from prepared meals, to health care, to extensive resources for research. Living in New York City, I have come to appreciate all of these things. New York City has heightened my sense of independence and what it means to be on my own.
As I enter the last few weeks of my semester in the city, I do so with mixed feelings. While I have gained a new perspective, grown up in many ways, and gotten a taste of the real world, I am also ready to return to the comforts of college life for another year (and with a greater appreciation). Until then, however, I plan on enjoying more of this fantastic city I may someday call my home again.
