• http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/on-going-to-high-school-in-nyc/
• On Going to High School in NYC

__MAR. 15, 2011 By LEAH RODRIGUEZ Remember smoking weed on THE stoop around the corner during lunch, everyday? Going to all non-academic functions (coffeehouses, workshop seminars, and field days) required getting high. One afternoon your friend’s mom thought he had people over for a science project. Really kids took turns blowing lines of cocaine he left in the bathroom. You walked along the Bowery with goat freeze.

You owned a fake ID, mostly used in bodegas to buy 40 ounces for indiscreet consumption in Central Park. You don’t even look 21 now; how’d you pull that off? On a good night, you got zooted in a celebrity kid’s home. They let you try on their parent’s wardrobe, take pictures, even steal their socks, because they hated them. You had a lot of fake party girl friends, you didn’t care most were younger than you, until some grew up to be “it” girls. What were you thinking pregaming in McDonald’s? Why did you cash out 10 dollars regularly to BYOB into warehouses, hotels and roofs with paid bouncers and bartenders? Cops always busted these events, but kids simply relocated to the sidewalk, usually peacefully. Except one night mounted patrol chased them through Tribeca.

You peed on the street, all the time. You puked outside a taxi window, once. Made out for the first time against a bar on the Lower East side that didn’t card. Discovered what getting fingered and touching a penis feels like riding in the backseat of a car on the FDR. Trekked to Roosevelt Island enough to last a lifetime, to give head and catch the tram home at 6AM. Real classy.

Your class was the last to take an overnight college visit trip after students ate pot brownies on a walking tour. Alcohol acquired through hitch hiking and pain killers sniffed in hotel rooms led to swimming in clothes in front of teachers.

Was playing softball on basketball courts and above car garages worth more than the tuition of most colleges and universities? Was taking Adderal for practice SAT’s really necessary, in addition to in school tutoring? Why didn’t the administration kick out kids with excessive absences who didn’t study? Their parent’s donations probably paid for my scholarship.

Your school’s conscious effort to accept minority students didn’t change stereotypes. Your white friend feared every Latino male on the street after one jumped him.

Rushed to the hospital in a cab the school nurse paid for with your best friend, whose St. Mark’s nose piercing got infected. Spent your afternoons in SoHo helping your friend find a sweet sixteen space. Didn’t make fun of my peer’s personal drivers and found their subway fear endearing. Approved of my friend keeping his Infiniti in an expensive parking garage and accompanied him everyday to pick it up only because he’s from Brooklyn. You were so nice. Hung out with the rehab transfer because she lent you clothes from Bloomingdales. Accepted an invitation to stay in a friend’s beachfront Fire Island rental for a week, even though you didn’t really like her anymore. Not so nice.

You were oblivious to your friend’s parent’s cool art dealer, diplomat, dance choreographer and fashion public relation firm owner type jobs. Richard Gere sat in the crowd at school plays, no pressure. Spotted Sofia Vergara waiting to speak with admissions.NBD.

Dreaded summer because everyone left for fancy summer camps like French Woods. Took nights overlooking the Hudson River in a penthouse Jacuzzi for granted.

Saw indie films at the Angelika in Spanish class. The new principle designated the blank courtyard wall a graffiti space. Weekly assembly included speakers like John Stewart and lesbian writers who recited explicit sex poems. Seniors didn’t attend school last semester, instead interned for street wear companies and nightclubs like The Box. Went to prom in a loft, after prom in East Hampton.

Graduated in NYU’s auditorium. Thought you were over New York, go elsewhere for college, and regret it. Wish you didn’t judge and compare everyone you meet against your city friends’ witty, well cultured personas. You miss befriending strangers in Washington Sq. who become legit clothing designers. Suddenly you’re an outcast snob because you’ve never done a keg stand or gone to pep rallies. You only ever dabbled in beer pong to be ironic. Being the novelty at parties because you drink Old English gets old fast. Your new friends don’t believe you were a slacker bad ass because you tell them you had your stoner phase but won’t smoke with them. You miss cheek kiss greetings (les bisous). Teach your new best friend “urban” words of the day. Even though you’ve never been to Philly, claim New York is better. Call anyone out if they refer to it as THE city because there’s only one, New York. Feel like a weirdo because you didn’t have drivers ed. Brag about not having a license and don’t get one when necessary, because you don’t want to feel unoriginal.

Visiting New York for internships, concerts and museums requires effort and it’s painful because it’s nostalgic. When you go back to the city with out of towners you loathe playing tour guide. You don’t have the heart to tell them you’re above hookah bars and haven’t been to one since they served you alcohol as a minor. Wish your city friends wouldn’t come off mad pretentious when they visit you at school. Don’t realize how wealthy your home friends are until you bring your new ones to their houses. Feel embarrassed when your new friends ask you if all your home friends are rich.

Regularly watch movies like The Wackness and Metropolitan to reassure yourself you’re not an anomaly. Deny that your youth is deaded, and try to make sense of it all. Wonder if you’d raise children in New York. And if growing up in another place would’ve made you any different. Wish you didn’t think over-privileged kids were interesting enough to write this. Blame the private school system for making it extremely hard to fit in amongst normal people ever again. Feel bratty while eating chocolate covered espresso beans your high school’s alumni organization sent you in a final exams car package. Be bitter until you can afford moving to Manhattan.