I believe that a part of being a student at Baruch College is accepting the fact that for some students, the only goal on their agenda is to attain “success”. When I say success, I refer specifically to financial stability. One particular line from White’s work that I agree with is “He has fished in Manhattan’s wallet and dug out coins, but has never listened to Manhattan’s breaching, never awaked to its morning, never dropped off to sleep in its night” (White 27). While I admire the work ethic of individuals that fit this description, it is to their loss that they do not see New York the way as I may. I do not fit exactly in any depiction of the “Three New York’s” that White describes, but I would say I would be a combination of the one who was born here and the one in quest of something (White 27). My mother had always pushed me to focus on education because she thought it would bring success, but I never let me distract me from the other opportunities the city had to offer. Although some may say distract would not be the right word, I have come to realize how valuable understanding New York’s places and culture is in building new bonds. After all, networking is truly key. A point White makes that I definitely agree with is the beautiful yet chaotic nature of New York. Sure, the unsanitary practices and dangerous circumstances we face every day may be problematic, but New Yorkers always find a way to get over it. If not, they would build on top of it (White 30).

New York is built up of a variety of communities, whether it may be in the form of houses in the suburbs or apartments in the city. But I had never realized the role the sidewalk plays in neighborhoods until now. From helping shovel the snow that piles on top of it, or taking a neighbor’s package so it wouldn’t be robbed, a clearer display of mutual respect and aligned goals can be seen as a result of the presence of this simple walkway. The best depiction of community can be seen in Jacob’s work when she describes an instance which brings an entire block to appear and try to defend what seemed to be someone that was being harassed (Jacob 38). Although it turned out to be a father and daughter pairing, seeing how people would be willing to take a stand against any threat to the peace of their neighborhood is deserving of respect. In my own life, the simple maintenance of a clean sidewalk is something my entire block prioritizes. We could spend hours simply weeding the sidewalks so the kids can ride their bikes safely and play hopscotch without the mess. In our view, we must do everything we can to preserve the beauty of our neighborhood. Whether you see it as a way to get from point A to B or a communal point, the sidewalk is one of the unrecognized tools when building a closely-knit community.