If you grew up in Skaneateles, New York, then you know that...
1. There are only two different types of people: Tourists, and Locals.
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When summer hits, the population literally doubles. Come June, people move into their summer lake houses, and tourists fill up the hotels and B&B’s. Our small village has two traffic lights, and yet it can take 20 minutes just to drive through town on a busy day. The shops are crowded, the bars and restaurants are packed, the village docks are full, and it hits you that it’s finally summer.
2. There’s no one you don’t know.
If you’re from Skaneateles, chances are you went to high school with your graduating class since kindergarten. You know everyone’s name, where they live, who they’ve dated, and pretty much every important detail about them. There is no such thing as a secret, and your mom probably knows the latest gossip before you do. This sometimes scary truth can also be incredibly comforting, though. We live in a community where we're always surrounded by close friends and a huge support system. By the time senior year comes around, you've been through so much together. The Skaneateles tradition of jumping in the lake after graduation topped off the best high school experience I could ever ask for.
3. Your high school friends are still your best friends
They say your college friends will be your friends for life, but in our case, our high school friends will be, too. Our group chat blows up all year long, and when we’re home, it’s like no time has passed at all. We have so many memories together, and probably know each other a little bit too well. It’s not uncommon to pretty much share houses all summer long, and you can always find us at the Bakery, iced coffee in hand.
4. Your first job was on the water.
Who would want to work in a hot sticky restaurant all summer when you live on a lake? You know you grew up in Skaneateles when you spent your high school summers working by your best friends' sides at either day camp, sail school, or the Country Club. You also constantly find yourself wondering why "work" can't stay this easy for the rest of our lives?
5. “Boat days” are the best kinds of days.
There is absolutely nothing like waking up to a text saying, “boat day?” The best part of summer at home is that 80% of your time is spent on the lake. It’s impossible to pull into the cove on a hot day without finding 50+ boats tied up with their friends in a floatilla, an influx of bud light, and lots of loud music.
6. The Fourth of July is your favorite holiday of the year.
The Fourth in Skan is infamous. The tourists pour in for the weekend and all of your best friends scramble to get off work weeks in advance. The Fourth of July Skaneateles style involves waking up at the crack of dawn, buying a 30 for yourself, and joining your entire high school in the cove for one of the most reckless days of the summer.
7. You have school pride for two different universities.
We’ll always be orangemen at heart, living only 20 minutes from Syracuse. There’s nothing like coming home on break and going to tailgates and games at the dome. Chances are, at least a handful of your best friends go to SU, which means we get the best of both worlds at home and always have a place to go out at night.
8. You plan to raise your own family here.
I don’t think I have very many friends who don’t plan on moving back to Skaneateles when they grow up. There’s something about our community that will always feel like “home” no matter what. Of course our lives will bring us all to different places, but I'm confident that most of us will wind up back here someday.
