When I came to college, I went downstate in New York. ACTUALLY DOWNSTATE.

I am from a town UPSTATE called Clifton Park. This is ACTUALLY UPSTATE. It is just about twenty minutes north of Albany and again, just about twenty minutes south of Saratoga.

When the first semester began, everyone was getting the, "where ya from?" question. No matter who you were, it seemed like a million different people asked you this question.

I remember when someone asked me this. I told them, "I'm from upstate, about an hour and forty-five minutes," and they made the comment, "but we are already upstate!" I was so confused. I knew for a fact that I was from upstate New York! It really made me mad when people said Newburgh was upstate! Mount Saint Mary, the college I chose, was definitely not upstate.

NEWS FLASH!!!
Upstate New York isn't Westchester County...that's for sure.

Upstate New York is around Saratoga County and Albany County. Also, many other Counties that are nearby. Upstate New York is where I am from!

It was funny because this person who said that Mount Saint Mary College was upstate New York was from Long Island. Yes, sure, maybe that is upstate to them. HOWEVER, that isn't upstate New York as a big picture!

Upstate New York does is not an area of just woods. It is not a big forest. I do not live with bears. I do get telephone service. There are plenty of things to do. It isn't the "Upstate New York" most the people from my school who are from more downstate think it is.

Most of all, Clifton Park, which is most definitely a part of upstate New York, is my home. If you want to try to tell me it is not a part of upstate, and upstate is the Westchester County, I will go crazy and defend my home.

I won't be the only upstater doing this, but everyone else who actually lives in upstate New York will do the same. They will most definitely go out of their way to make it a point that where most people think is upstate isn't actually upstate.

Now with that being said, I think I have explained myself fairly well by telling you, Westchester County is not upstate. Along with that, most areas around it, cough cough, Newburgh/Mount Saint Mary is not upstate. Just take a look at the beautiful map.

Things must be clear at this point. Hope you enjoyed the mini lesson from a real upstater.