By Daisy Leepson

I knew no one when I went back home. I mean it when I say no one, and you can only spend so much time with family. I hated that my parents had moved from Atlanta to Boston while I was away at college. I hated being away from Julia and Emily.

Everyone I considered a friend was 700 miles away back in Atlanta. The only thing I found comfort in was my long walks through Boston by the Charles River and through Seaport with my dog Sadie. The breeze from the Charles made me feel alive. The salty ocean air around Seaport made me think of the fond memories I’ve had sailing. Sadie loved these walks too because she got to experience a bunch of new smells like lobster. I learned to love being with myself—disconnected from everyone else. I would put on the latest podcast episode from “The Sporkful” and just walk, sometimes with no specific path in mind. I am always so wound up with needing to have a clear-cut route. It was freeing to not worry about what street to turn or who I had to meet in an hour. I let my mind and body wander–I learned to sit in the discomfort of being alone.

---

Daisy Leepson is a sophomore majoring in magazine journalism and information management and technology at Syracuse University. With a passion for cooking and food systems, Daisy enjoys telling the stories of the people behind the plate.