Maria Arozamena

While many students found themselves traveling to New York City during fall break, I found myself returning to the New York of the Midwest… not Chicago, not Detroit, but the murder capital of the United States: my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.

What did I do while I was there?

Short answer: I went back home. 

Long answer: 

I stood in front of a sign that said “Welcome to St. Louis… get a zoo perspective,” not understanding a word of what it meant.

I begged my parents to cook me a medium rare steak, a delicacy after eating roasted carrots, cauliflower and questionable chicken for two months straight in the TD dining hall.

I visited my old place of work, a Trader Joe’s I spent three years at, expecting celebrity treatment — only to be asked if I needed help finding something.

I ate Cane’s. 

I stole red lipstick from my moms bathroom, and while on a FaceTime call with my friend from Yale, I tried to figure out how to get kiss marks on my chest without someone kissing me. 

I gossiped about my hometown best friend’s attempts to win over her “future husband” by carrying around an Among Us plushie named “Susmong.” 

I forgot how to drive.

While reteaching myself how to drive (on the way to the vet), I tried to remember where the hazard lights were to a choir of crying cats in my back seat.

My mom gave my Yale friend hair advice over the phone. She couldn’t see her, but she knew exactly what to say.

I got a haircut, but when I say haircut, I mean I barely cut my hair because I was too scared.

I realized Sabrina Carpenter was performing in St. Louis. I didn’t get tickets. I was mad at myself for three hours straight. 

I asked my friend from Kosovo what I should get from a Kosovan restaurant. I didn’t get a reply (because of time zone differences). I ordered the same thing as a different friend off the menu, only to get harassed by the woman at the counter because she thought we were on a date.

I kidnapped my friends from WashU and drove them to Crumbl Cookie while debating whether or not we should attempt going to the frats (we did not).

I talked shit with an old high school teacher while sipping on the worst cappuccino I’ve ever had. 

I fell off a bike.

I hit the outlet mall with my mom and bought a winter coat.

I ate Cane’s again. 

I took a walk in Forest Park and watched a kid fall off a paddle boat.

I doomscrolled on TikTok until I memorized the words to an SNL parody of “Espresso.” 

I ate five plates at an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant and fell asleep the second I got home, then woke up an hour later, and ate even more.

I baked pumpkin bread using a real baking pan and not a broken skillet (if you know you know). 

I contemplated life while showering WITHOUT shoes.

And so much more, but I’m glad to be back, even if it means I’m sleeping in a twin XL once again.