Going to college out of state has, so far, been a wonderful experience--and what better place to go than the paradise of Allentown, PA. But not everything about living in Pennsylvania is perfect; there are just some classic New York items that can never be replicated. So, as the fall semester begins, here is my tribute to all that I've left behind.

Dear New York,

I miss the way your everything bagels would stick to my clothing and make me smell like onions for the rest of the day, no matter where I went. I miss your poppy seeds that would be stuck in my teeth--and, of course, only discovering them after an entire day of smiling at strangers. I miss early morning car rides to the beach that could not be complete without some of your finest plain bagels. I miss the way you say "schmear," and the fact that lox is just a thing that people accept (I do not understand it, but I respect it). I miss the rapid fire orders of JV Bagel (One and Two) where the chorus of customers crying "baconeggancheese" can be heard at the wee hours of the morning. I miss the sleepy brunch goodbyes over your French toast and sesame bagels--a final taste of home before going off to college.

But it's not just bagels--oh no, there is so much more that you offer, New York.

Pizza. God how I miss your good, family-run, Italian pizzerias where they say "proschiutto" and "muzzerelle" and nobody bats an eye. I miss your thin-crust grandma slices, where the basil is so fresh that somebody's grandmother must have just picked it out of the garden. I miss waiting on line (or as the rest of the world apparently says, "in line") for some freshly baked garlic knots that just don't seem to compare to any you'd find in a pizza chain.

And god do I miss your impatience. Every second going, going, going, going, never stopping to take a breath, curving and swerving to avoid the slow pokes. Even in the suburbs of Westchester it seems like there is never a pause button on the hectic lives of your citizens. I miss the rudeness of people who think they're are more important than you; their eyes glazing over as they bump into a suitcase or two. I miss the hustle and bustle of the city, the importance of every stride, the sense of purpose and focus. Everyone in New York seems to have a place where they belong, or at least a place they're trying to get to. There's an energy of progress that I get infected with; it addles me to the point of striding far in front of my friends, who laugh as I take a wrong turn in my dizzy glory of being in the city, all of which I miss dearly.

So yes, Allentown may have several songs dedicated to it (thanks Billy Joel) and it is certainly filled with kind, wonderful, generous people. But there is absolutely nothing that beats being in the heart of New York. Catch me in the middle of Times Square, devouring a slice of pizza while being flipped off by ten angry taxi drivers. I'll be in heaven.

Until we meet again,

A Girl Who Just Wants A Decent Bagel; Is That Really Too Much To Ask?