It's so easy to forget

As my junior year begins to take form, I find myself in a constant state of introspection. My mind is all over the place thinking about my future, the impending end of my tenure at Columbia College, and how I’m going to face what is sure to be, in terms of work, the hardest year of my life up to this point. It happens at the beginning of every year for me, kind of like a routine to help my mind get back into ‘school-mode’ after a beautiful and sunny summer in California.

Ever the Columbia student, however, my introspection has recently taken forays into more all-encompassing subjects that do not directly relate to school, such as my growing disdain for capitalism, annoyance at how the media is dealing with the President’s race, and my ever-increasing appreciation of New York City. The last of these became very pertinent to me during the first week of school. Last year, Senators McCain and Obama were facing off in a pseudo-debate environment on our very campus. I, along with thousands of other students, descended upon the steps to hear the candidates talk about what ‘service’ meant to them. What it took me a while to realize was that September 11, 2008 had become more of a publicity opportunity for the candidates than an opportunity for respect and remembrance.

So this year I decided to spend 9/11 a little differently. I had plans with one of my best friends to go to an undisclosed roof in Morningside Heights to see the Tribute in Light, an annual lighted memorial that has become a symbol of New York City. However, the weather had other plans. It had been raining most of the day and the clouds prevented good visibility. We got up there and couldn’t see anything past 40th Street. We were also going to light a small fire in tribute, but the high winds prevented that too. Needless to say, we were disappointed. Another failure attributed to perpetually crappy but endearing New York weather.

But instead of letting the night end there, I said to my friend, “Hey, why don’t we just go down there?” It was already after 11 p.m. on a Friday, so we knew that there would be no express trains running on the way back. It was a commitment, but one that neither of us had to think twice about.

When we got off at Chambers St. (the 1 train wasn’t going past there at that time of night), we weren’t quite sure where to go, but as we turned the corner out of the station I immediately knew why I had decided to make the trip. I had never seen the Tribute in Light at this range before, and as we walked closer all the concerns I had about the beginning of school seemed to matter less and less. The lights were incredible, and bounced off the clouds in a way that made me glad it wasn’t a clear night. Everything was perfect.

We made it to ground zero, and realized that the lights weren’t even there; they were a little further downtown. Interestingly, this made me very happy, because it meant there was actual construction going on down there. Keeping all political affiliations aside, it is a shame that bureaucracy has kept that space barren for eight years. The sight of progress brought me hope and excitement.

We spent a while at the site, observing, thinking, and reflecting. We then decided to try to see exactly where the Tribute in Light was coming from. As we walked closer we were able to see just how many lights there were, as well as the details of their interactions with the clouds, making it even more spectacular. The actual lights were set up atop a massive parking garage a little south of ground zero. We were told only VIPs could go up there, but we were content from our perch on the street, because even from that vantage point it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

Going downtown with my friend that night helped me put my year into some semblance of real perspective. Although the lights were our catalyst in this instance, just being down there can be a moving and therapeutic experience. Sometimes I get so caught up in my Columbia life that I lose track of why we’re here in the first place. I’m sure many of you readers, like me, want to use your education to do some good in this world. It’s so easy to forget, but every now and then New York City has ways of reminding you.

The author is a Columbia College junior majoring in history and concentrating in political science.