New York City is known for its “hustle and bustle” culture with personalized branding as “The City That Never Sleeps.” With people up at the crack of dawn to kickstart their day to late nights working in the office or out and about partying. However, a certain feeling transpires when leaving the lights behind and heading to the quiet: ease.
Being a part of the city scene is motivating as various events happening at school and within the city help advance you towards future goals. Due to proximity, you’re swept into the constant flow of go-go-go, adapting to the mindset of needing to do more. A comparison between your current position and others arises whether they be a peer or someone at the level you want to reach. It can be unhealthy surrounding oneself in an environment that always feels like it’s moving.
Coming from a rural area, the sound of honking is replaced by crickets at night and leaves rustling on a windy day. There’s no need to be up before sunrise, unless you want to watch it, because the environment is different. The roads aren’t littered with people at 9 a.m. as there’s no competition to “be” anywhere except the Chick-Fil-A line for breakfast. Rather than clubs and bars being the designated hotspots, hanging out by the lake and the parking lot of gas stations and Walmart are the new “it” grounds. The pace of life is a drastic change compared to that of a metropolitan area, a mindset that became difficult to get out of over the summer. To be in New York City where the resources in connection to vast fields of study: finance, entertainment, politics, fashion are easily available, you think “Carpe diem.” Even so, the pressure to take on all opportunities in fear of someone else getting it builds, and once you become caught up in the mix of constant persistence, it’s time for a break.
Going upstate is one of the best and most accessible ways to clear your mind. Just head to Grand Central and take the Metro North, ideally with a window seat, and watch as you escape the city and enter into nature. Trees become more apparent, especially during the fall given the color change, as you move into suburbia-like territory. Watching the Hudson River as waves hit the rocks, with houses sitting by the water or looking down from the mountains. Walking around small villages right out of a Hallmark movie, with stores lining both sides of the street that close at 5 p.m. with little car traffic, if any. And an old man telling the history of coins in an antique shop for 45 minutes; an experience where now I know that old coins used to be much larger and contain different metals than they do now. Temporarily, all worries and stress are left in the 35 miles that make up the city, including all five boroughs, as tranquility feels the space.
The contrasting culture among people who are used to a city to those from the suburbs can be beneficial. By being in NYC, you feel compelled to achieve set goals, go out and explore outside your comfort zone. Whereas the countryside involves the lack of light pollution making it possible to see the stars, embrace the fresh air and ultimately make the most out of your surroundings while taking life at a leisurely pace.
There should be no obligation to force a performative projection to yourself and among others just because of the given environment. Nonetheless, during moments of feeling overwhelmed and stagnant, do a reset. Give into the simplicity by turning away from the haste and allow yourself to embrace the simple life.
