Being home for the holidays always makes me think about the differences between where I grew up and where I go to school now. I grew up in Washingtonville, NY. It's a small town of about 6,000 people around 60 miles north of New York City. It has the feel of one of those stereotypical small towns where nothing really happens. Now I go to school at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. New Rochelle is a city of around 73,000 people and it is only a short train ride away from New York City. It is such a huge difference between where I grew up and where I go to school.

Growing up in a small town in upstate New York can sometimes be a struggle, especially when you are older. When I was in elementary school I didn't really care about much. I just played with my friends and we had a lot of fun. When I got to middle and high school though, things changed a lot. My friends and I always wanted to do something different, but in our town there wasn't really much to do. We would go to the same pizzeria and hang out at the same park after school. It can get pretty boring. You have to be really inventive if you want to have fun or you have to go somewhere else. After a while I felt that I needed to get out of where I grew up. I've always felt like there wasn't really much there for me, especially after graduating high school.

I like to call myself a city boy who grew up in the country, because I have always been drawn to the city. I love the pace of the city and how you can turn a corner and you will have a completely new experience. When I was applying to colleges I knew that I wanted to be close to New York City. I love the freedom of being able to hop on a train and have a million possibilities. From seeing a show on Broadway to spending time in Central Park or all of the amazing museums, the city has so many things to offer. Being so close to the city has definitely made a major impact on my college experience as it has given me so many experiences and memories. This is something that I can't really say for where I grew up.

Now that I am home for the holidays I find myself going through the same things. I always find that I never really have much to do, so I end up going down to Manhattan with friends to have fun. However, I do love getting this chance to get away and have a break. A fast-paced lifestyle can be great, but it can also be pretty tiring. It is great to have some time to be able to just sit back, relax, and enjoy what is around me. I do enjoy the chance to just get away and relax over these breaks and it makes coming back to school a lot easier too. As much as I love my home and where I come from, I feel that the city is the place where I was meant to be.