Carmel
February 2019 — Growing up in Carmel, NY during the early 2000s was awesome. I was born in late 1995 and I remember growing up in this area very well. it is a small town. It does not have a whole lot of major businesses but it is a home to many small businesses. There are lots of food options but there are no sidewalks where people can walk to wherever they want to go. The high school in the town is located near the center and much of the community focuses on the high school football team and things of that nature. Over the years, it has not changed. It looks the same, feels the same, and all of the people are the same. People get stuck and stay in this town for many years. They do not venture out or go live someone else. I do not know why that is but it is true when people say it sucks individuals in. I do not like how people where I am from are not ambitious and just expect things to be handed to them. However, I like that the town is close and it is very diverse. It is close enough to the major city of Manhattan and it is easily accessible from all directions.
Carmel
December 2018 — I live in Carmel, New York. I love it. It is a small town about an hour north of New York City. It is diverse in the sense that there are a lot of different ethnicity’s around here. Being from New York, regardless if you’re not from the city, is just a different feeling. I was born in the Bronx and lived there for a few years but I am thankful for my time in Carmel. It has changed a lot over the past couple of years. More people are moving up here from down south as it is cheaper to live here as opposed to closer to NYC. However, the school systems have gotten a little bit worse. I see more undesirables going to Carmel High School than ever before and it is evident when talking to administrators within the school district. The town itself still remains largely unchanged but the demographic of people is changing. But for me, this is home. I love the small downtown area that we have and how close I remain with a lot of my friends from high school. Some of them are not very hard working but they love where they come from. On the other hand, there are some very motivated individuals who come out of this area. I do not judge anyone because being from Carmel, I have seen all different kinds of people from different walks of life. It has allowed me to be able to converse with anyone, from any different background, and I am very thankful for that.