Student voices: Finding a love for the city

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I have lived in the suburbs my entire life. There are many aspects of living here that I enjoy, such as safety, the sense of community and great schools. However, the older I get, the more I feel myself wanting to venture into the city. I find it upsetting I live so close to two amazing cities and I barely take the opportunity to explore them.

Of course, with school, I rarely have any free time, so fitting in such adventures is difficult — not to mention the expense, and the inconvenience of traveling downtown with limited driving experience. Despite this, I love everything about cities — the people, art, music. I even love looking at the huge, skyscraping buildings.

A recent trip to New York City changed my perspective on a lot of things. The sheer number of people that reside there is mind-boggling. It was also surreal to be in a place that is portrayed in countless books and films as the greatest place on earth. It made me realize there is more out there in the world to explore, and more people out there to meet.

The diversity was especially intriguing to me. It is not something you can learn about in a book. You have to be exposed to a large concentration of different people in order to achieve understanding. The trip has inspired me to visit the Twin Cities that are so close to my home more often.

To me, cities are like a mini version of the entire world. There is such a wide range of people, and there is always something different going on and something new being offered. Sometimes, you may get a look into the best things in life. Other times, you get a glance at the unfortunate. Every trip into the city results in a lesson learned, or even some inspiration.

Don’t get me wrong — I don’t drive into Minneapolis every weekend and just people watch. My occasional trips are usually tied in with another occasion — concerts, college visits, or perhaps visiting a museum. However, I try to make the most out of each and every trip into the cities and absorb everything that surrounds me because I never know when the next opportunity to go into the cities will arise.

City life is a different culture, one that sharply contrasts what I have been accustomed to throughout my entire suburban life. The fact that I am becoming more and more interested in it indicates to me that I am growing up and ready to gain more independence and responsibility, as well as learn more about the world around me. Soon enough, I will be ready to take on an entire city. For now, I am still the typical, suburban high school student, eager to explore the cities, and even the world that awaits.

Marnie Sciamanda is a student at Rosemount High School. Her column appears every three weeks.

Tags: high school, opinion, rosemount, commentaries