For our first issue we decided to introduce the reader to the Western New York we know. Putting together our cover story made me think about what it means to be a native of the area. I could spend this editor’s note going through the clichés, the chicken wings, the Buffalo Bills and of course the snow. I know that you have probably heard about all of those things constantly or you will. Instead I’ll try to tell you how I came to appreciate my hometown.
In 2002, when it came time to leave to leave Amherst High School and go to the University at Buffalo, I knew lots of kids who could not wait to leave. I too wanted to leave the area and never look back, but it was simply a better move cost wise to go here. At the time I was not enthused about coming here. You can get stuck very easily in the mindset that Buffalo is a boring and ugly place to live in. However, if you look again with a more open mind, you start to find that Western New York is a wonderful place to be.
The summer and fall of 2002 was marked with a lot of freedom to explore the city and surrounding area and that is exactly what I did. I spent my free time going to many of the places you will read about in this issue. Once I moved beyond the self-contained suburbs and into the rest of area, the city of Buffalo opened up to me and my love affair with it began.
Yes, the city has its problems and sometimes it seems like we have more than the average city. Yet the sign of a true Buffalonian is the ability to sort through all of this negativity and realize how great a place this is. The Buffalo I discovered that year was the sun hitting White Lake on a summer’s day, it was dusk on the Amherst Bike Path. The Buffalo I discovered was finding that CD you couldn’t find anywhere else at Home of the Hits or getting lost amongst the bookshelves at Talking Leaves. About a month into my freshmAn year I was very happy that I stayed in Buffalo, and I have not looked back since.
Buffalo may not be a place that you will immediately fall in love with, and it is easy to get caught up in all of the problems the region deals with. However, the first thing you notice is that the residents love their city in spite of the problems it faces. The people living here let the region become a part of who they are. Western New York is a place that you personalize; everyone finds their own Buffalo.
In your hands is the first issue of the twentieth year of Generation. Since 1984, our editors and writers have spent many sleepless nights putting together YOUR student voice. Sometimes you might not agree with our interpretation of a given issue, but we provide you with the facts and work to always be objective. Generation covers these things because we love the University at Buffalo and will do our best to look out for the interest of its students.
Interested in a career in journalism? Perhaps you just love to write, or take pictures or sell advertisements; Generation has a place for you. Working for the magazine is an excellent way to get experience, have some fun, and finally see your name in print.
Even better, most Generation staff members can earn three English elective credit. So, come on down to our organizational meeting Wednesday, September 7 at 6 p.m. Meet at our new office in 142 Student Union if you think you can make a contribution to the magazine.
