So long, Saratoga

I told my friend Bob I would be writing an ode to Saratoga, but I don't think that's gonna happen. Each year of the last five has been so different that I don't really have one parting thought about that crazy town, one overarching lesson learned. The bottom line is that great friendships were made, both in college and this year, and I know I will stay in touch with the people I want to. I'll miss the places I frequented (duh); I won't miss the lack of anonymity or the tap water.

I was sad for a very short while yesterday because I had a string of goodbyes, accidentally, but appropriately in Uncommon where so many of those friendships were made, but today I have mainly been excited or too busy to think.

I was reminded today that it is the five-year anniversary of my grandmother's death. Thanks to my grandparents, who retired to Cambridge from Westchester when I was a toddler, I've had "roots" in this area that extend beyond my five years in Saratoga. Also thanks to G'ma, I had the Swan to help me explore this region on my own when I came to Skidmore. She died while I was on the freshmen preorientation trip SCOOP, so we never even lived here at the same time. Strangely, the first person I met on that trip, Maggie, my roommate for the three days, is now a great friend who will be living very near me in Chicago.

I don't know what all this means. Nothing at all, maybe. It just seems like an appropriate week to be leaving, and with that, goodbye, New York.