When campus feels dry, take a walk into town and explore the unique shops dotting Main Street. In every direction you turn, you’ll be hit head-on with one-of-a-kind businesses and unfaltering creativity. Feeling artsy? Buy some crafts at Manny’s Art Supplies or the Rhinebeck Artists’ Shop. Yearning to stretch your body? Rock Yoga might be the place for you. Want to treat yourself to a plethora of sweets? Candy Candy has hard-to-find goods from every decade.
After scouring through antique shops and splurging on some new swag, get to know the locals. Ask them their stories and listen to the adventures you’ll hear; many of them were students here themselves. When the opportunity arises, take advantage of annual festivals like the Taste of New Paltz. Watch floats sail down the river at the New Paltz Regatta and indulge on some marinated feta goat cheese when local farmers come to town.
Holidays in New Paltz are especially magical. Venture to Minnewaska State Park when the leaves begin to turn and gape at the crisp colors surrounding you. On Halloween, get ready to hand out candy to New Paltz’s youngest ghosts and goblins during Halloween in the Halls. Then, channel your inner artist at the Bakery’s Night of 100 Pumpkins carving contest. And by all means, tailoring your outfit for the frat’s costume party can wait until you check out the local children marching down Main Street in the annual Halloween parade.
It’s the little things that make New Paltz special, like sledding down Van Den Berg Hill after the first snowfall of the season or watching a sunset at Esopus Pond. Or spending a Saturday playing chess in the Water Street Market and borrowing a book from the lending library. Maybe you’ll spend a night exploring the rail trail, amidst a sea of stars. Perhaps you’ll settle underneath a bridge and plunge into a book beside the Wallkill.
After-hours in New Paltz are particularly incredible. Some students find their niche in New Paltz’s bar scene, where they enjoy bonding over drinks with their peers and dancing into the wee hours of the morning. By night, student bands also take center stage, performing concerts at venues such as Oasis, Snug Harbor and even an assortment of kitchens. New Paltz is also home to a number of fraternities and sororities, which add a special spark to New Paltz night life.
In New Paltz, you’ll learn the value of local business and the tight-knit communities they create. Everything about our town is unique. In 2004, mayor Jason West made national headlines after conducting same-sex marriages for a dozen couples in front of Village Hall — his actions were the first of their kind in New York State. A “green” town, New Paltz also encourages the use of organic and sustainable products and strives to educate others about caring for the Earth. In fact, in 2011, Princeton Review featured SUNY New Paltz in its “Guide to 2011 Green Colleges.” With transportation accommodations including the Loop Bus and an emphasis on biking and walking, you don’t have to look far to see our philosophies at work.
While you’re a Hawk, you’ll watch community stand strong in the wake of tragedy and impassioned students demand reform. You’ll find young leaders pioneering for a more sustainable living and budding entrepreneurs promoting their first business ventures. You’ll be challenged by forward-thinking professors and enlightened by classes you never expected to take.
A lot changes in four years. College doesn’t reinvent you, but rather molds you into the person you were always meant to be. That being said, take every opportunity to be yourself. As a freshman, I vowed to dive into every college experience that came my way, but I quickly realized what worked for my roommates didn’t necessary work for me. It wasn’t until spring semester of my second year that I found my place and once I arrived, gaining the approval of other social circles didn’t matter anymore.
At New Paltz, you have the resources to mature into whoever you want to be. With dozens of campus clubs and organizations, there’s a corner of campus for everyone, whether it’s in the New Paltz Music Collective or the Campus Ministry or Live Action Role Play.
Upon graduating high school, people told me college would be the best four years of my life. Now that I’m on the brink of graduating, however, I’m inclined to disagree. College has been a whirlwind of emotion and the climax of self-discovery. While I’ve had some of my best experiences here, the skills New Paltz has given me will help me create a better future for myself. My best days are ahead of me because of the experiences grounding me.
While I’m not sure where I will be this time next year, one thing is for certain — no matter where I go in life, no matter how far I live or how successful I become, this little town will forever be a part of my life.
Settle in and welcome to your home away from home.
Maria Pianelli is a senior at SUNY New Paltz majoring in journalism with a concentration in public relations. During the fall semester, she will be working with the New Paltz Times and writing about interesting students and professors whose expansive interests have helped make campus a better place. She will also be chronicling campus debates, events and controversies hoping to bridge the gap between the college and the community. Maria is a New York City native.
