Skyline Artwork

I live my life inside a box.

There is the supermarket where I pick up my junk food every weekend, the doctor’s office that I visit when I’m feeling brave (or desperate) enough, the library where I pick up my books on request, and the mall that I hang out at when I’m not feeling drastically broke.  Rarely do I get out of my box to explore all the wonderful attractions that New York City has to offer.  I don’t even get out of my borough to explore Manhattan a little.  When I do get out, however, I feel like a tourist in my own city.  I get pushed around by the crowds, crane my neck in awe to stare at all the towering buildings, and get so lost that I end up asking tourists for help.  Nevertheless, every trip to Manhattan is a blessing because I get to experience my city more and I get to see what makes it one of the most exciting cities in the world.

Being in Macaulay has especially helped me experience my city because before this semester, I don’t think I ever went outside of Queens for recreational purposes so many times.  Even coming to Queens College has helped me experience Manhattan because during my two or so months here, I have learned that the campus offers a spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline.  As far as I can remember, I never even saw the Manhattan skyline in real life until I came to Queens College.  It struck me so much that I took a photo of my experience for my photojournal.  Since then, every time I walk through campus, I glance across to the skyline.

The Manhattan skyline is an important part of New York City.  Although it may not seem like it, it is truly an artistic masterpiece not to be messed with.  I know this because this summer, I read an article in the amNew York that someone was suing to stop the creation of a building that would change the look of the skyline.  The complaint of the person suing was that the proposed building was so big that it would block out the Empire State Building from the skyline.  I was surprised to read that this was not the first time that someone had sued to stop the construction of a building for the reason that it would mess up the Manhattan skyline.  When you have something that looks as beautiful as this skyline does, however, I can understand why you would want to preserve it.

I think that one reason that people are so adamant about keeping the Manhattan skyline the same is that it is an iconic image that represents New York City.  The skyline features some of the biggest and most recognizable buildings in the world.  When people who are not from New York think about this city, the skyline is the image that they associate with it.  The skyline is the image that they come to New York to witness and the image that they take with them when they leave for home.  This image shows the adventure and excitement that can be found in New York City and how alive our city is.  It is the image people remember New York by.

Every time I look across campus to the skyline, I feel proud of  my city.  “This is where I come from”, I think to myself.  The skyline shows me how beautiful and unique my city is.  It’s not for nothing that New York is such a tourist hot spot, after all.  I also feel an anticipation for adventure that nothing else can make me feel.  Staring at the skyline makes me feel that I hold the world in the palm of my hands, with the strength to shape it to fit any mold I’d like.  It makes me feel like I can take on the world and leave my mark behind for people to remember me by.  Every time I look at the skyline, I suddenly feel like I can’t wait to grow up and become a part of the city.

I feel as tall as those structures that I stare at themselves.