Rural to New York City
I grew up along the river bends of the Maury in Virginia. When phone service failed my friends, I told them to look out of the weeping willow on the left of a bend after crossing a bridge. There, you would see a dirt road. Take it all the way to the end, do not drive up the hunt club road, cross the wooden bridge, and you’d see my house on the left. My holler held about twenty people in the midst of an unincorporated community of 800. The eight-thousand-person city that held my school, grocery store, and one movie theater with three screens was a 30-minute drive away. At home, I reveled in summer nights among the lightning bugs, bonfires, and tubing down a river. I read all the books I could get my hands on. While I wish I had learned the names of the trees surrounding me, I held a deep respect for those that could.
My seventeen-year-old self would have been shocked that I moved to a place that had more people in a five-minute walk radius than I had in my community.
To be honest, I didn’t visit New York City until my second year of college. Naturally, I frolicked in Times Square, could barely see the sun all day, and vowed to never set foot back in the city. The bustle, lights, and noise overwhelmed me. I did not fall head over heels for New York at first glance. I yearned for a smaller city that felt as familiar as my hometown.
Eventually, the community I had created in my adult life landed me here. While I was nervous about the transition, I had beautiful surprises. On the first warm spring day, New Yorkers turn out to their nearest park and celebrate nature in a way that feels like my summers along the river. The entire city is sprinkled with green spaces. Barnard College is lucky to be surrounded by Riverside Park, Morningside Park, and nearby Central Park. We even have a Greenhouse on the top of a rooftop if you need immediate access. The parks have been a place where I have reconnected with my thoughts and enjoyed quiet.
The subway is overwhelming at first but eventually becomes part of your life. The first few months I used the subway, I was nervous I would jump on the wrong train or head in the opposite direction. Google Maps and the kindness of strangers held me up. One day, I became the person offering directions to lost commuters. Similar to how I know the winding dirt roads back in Virginia, I now know the bumps and peculiarities of the 2 line.
No matter where you go, community is key to your success. At Barnard, you’re lucky to join numerous strong communities. At the core, you have your Barnard base. We have a genuine campus and wonderful people who will ground your experience. You will see many familiar faces because of our smaller campus size and the majority of students stay in dorms all four years. On top of that, you have the Columbia community. When you’re ready to venture further into the city, you’ll find that New Yorkers look out for one another. More than once, I’ve left a sweater on the subway only to have people pass it off to me before I left. I’ve gotten into small conversations with people on the sidewalk, at the grocery store, and (best of all) had people compliment my outfit when I walked by. I know that I’m always held by this community when I leave my door, finding pockets of my people as I go through my day.
I know that homesickness and being in a new city can be overwhelming. When I feel very disconnected from the way I grew up, I can always find places that remind me of it. This might be in a popup bluegrass band or a celebration of Dolly Parton. It could be finding paintings in the Met that ground me. No matter where you’re coming from, you can always find your home in New York City.