Wish You Were Here: Buffalo

March 21st 2017

I choose to measure my life in experiences. It is easy enough to measure a life in dollars and cents, and the car you drive, and the house you live in, but to measure life in experiences is when you begin to see its true value.

This is my last spring break as a college student and although I could have chosen to book myself a flight to Miami or some other warm and tropical destination, I chose Buffalo, NY. I didn’t choose Buffalo out of laziness or being cheap, I chose it because it is a place that I know will help me create memories that are special and unique to me. I told myself that I did not want to remember my last Spring Break as something that was cookie cutter and ordinary. I wanted to have an experience I could look back and still feel the value of.

That is why I decided to pack up and visit my friend Devan. I met Devan about six years ago through a social media app called GifBoom. Right when we started chatting, we clicked almost immediately and have still managed to stay in relatively close touch over the years. I even went to visit her a couple of summers ago which spurred my idea for this trip.

Since Devan and I met, I knew we shared a special bond over our creativity. We both love YouTube and writing and photography and other creative outlets which was great because we both inspired one another to live our best lives. The way that Devan lives through her creativity and passion inspires me to keep pace and continue to do the same and I hope I have inspired her even half as much as she has inspired me.

One of my favorite things about traveling is comparing my destinations to home. It really helps me put in perspective what I love about home and what I desire from wherever I move in the future. In Buffalo I really loved how laid back the lifestyle was. The community seemed very warm and comfortable compared to Long Island and Manhattan’s fast-paced way of life. Although I love keeping a good pace and constantly having things to do, I feel like Buffalo was the kind of place you needed to sit still and appreciate.

During my trip I also took so time to explore the Niagara Falls area for the day. I went to the aquarium and experienced the views of the American falls and saw a glimpse of Niagara as well! ((I know the view is way better on the Canadian side which is why Canada is towards the top of my list for destinations to explore within the rest of the year))

Another thing I really enjoyed was how passionate people were about Buffalo and calling it home. It’s so beautiful to see people who genuinely love and appreciate the place they live and treat it like an extension of themselves. I hope to one day live in a place that fills me with that much pride.

Although my trip was short, I really enjoyed my little vacation and the opportunity to reconnect with a friend. I hope this is only the beginning of my travels this year, but for now, wish you were here~

Jess