From Staten Island To Upstate New York

I am a girl from Staten Island, who lives upstate in a town called Goshen. Although my family decided to move when I was just two, I miss the city everyday. Many people question me when I say that, but it’s not that crazy.

All of my family members have come from Brooklyn, or Staten Island. Most of my immediate family has moved to parts of Jersey, or in Orange County like myself; however, many of them still remain in the city.

Growing up, we were constantly going back to Staten Island to see some relatives, so I ended up spending a lot of time there. As a kid, I didn't care where we lived, but that changed as I got older.

Seven years ago, I met one of my best friends, Jenna. She lives in Staten Island, and as we got closer, I learned all the stereotypes about people from upstate. The city sees the rest of New York as farmland, which I guess is understandable. A few of her friends even asked me if there were malls, or grocery stores upstate. This is when I began to miss Staten Island.

I saw all the opportunities available in the city, but nothing in Goshen. I adopted so many mannerisms from my family/friends that show I really am from Staten Island, regardless of how many years I've actually lived there. For years I can't tell you how many times people ask me to repeat certain words such as talk, dog, chocolate, coffee, etc. People always tell me I look like I am from Staten Island. I didn't realize we had a look to us, but apparently we do.

As I got older, I missed it even more. There are plenty of opportunities for jobs, bakeries/stores on every corner, amazing pizza, public transportation, easy access to Manhattan, night life, etc. When you are a kid, a lot of these things may not matter. But as a college student, these are the things I look for.

When I am away at school, I am only an hour from Manhattan. I go there as much as I can on the weekends with my friends because we can always find something to do. If we stay local, there is nothing around except a 21+ bar.

The rest of New York has a lot to offer, just not what I am looking for. When I am home, my only options are outdoor activities. While these things are fun, I like variety, and that is something I miss.

Although the city is very over-populated, loud, and the people are rude, the city is my home. I know many people would never want to live there, but I think it is a great place. It's all personal preference.