Walking through New York City was at once invigorating, nostalgic, and a bit melancholic. Each borough we walked through (which, if I’m remembering correctly, were Brooklyn, Manhattan, and The Bronx) had its own rich history. New York seems to pride itself on recognizing and honoring the pain and hardship of its people while striving to create a more positive and inclusive environment. Each section of New York I walked through felt overwhelmingly authentic. I think New Yorkers, and most Northerners in general, get a bad rap for being terse. However, there seemed to be a camaraderie I couldn’t help but feel moved by. People stopped briefly on multiple occasions to help our (only slightly) bumbling group of out-of-towners with directions, despite the fact that they likely had somewhere to be–it seems everyone does in the city. Our meeting with Laura Apperson, a GSU alum, reinforced this fact. She spoke with us at The Shakespeare about how fiercely New Yorkers look out for each other.
I like to believe this sense of familiarity and oneness is born of an understanding of New York’s history and a tolerance and acceptance for those both similar and different from oneself. So many styles of life are supported in New York, at least in concept. Unfortunately, the nation-wide problems of inflation and gentrification spare no city. The cost of living, particularly in housing, is discouraging. The surging prices of rent, essentially regardless of borough, force many people out of ideal living situations. Speaking of architecture, however, the city seems to honor its historical buildings relatively well. From the historic buildings on NYU’s campus to the still-standing St. Patrick’s Cathedral to the many rows of apartment buildings unchanged from the 1900s, a reverence for the history of New York permeates the city. The atmosphere of the present moment in New York maintains a sense of curiosity and opportunity I can only imagine it has cultivated for decades.
