Sit-Spot Search 

 I moved to NYC after spending five years in Ithaca, NY, where I went to college and worked on a farm. Though I was familiar with the city—having grown up just next door in Jersey and with family roots in New York—living here with the constant noise, crowds, and lack of green space proved to be much more challenging than I expected. I found myself yearning for what I called my sit-spot, a quiet spot in the forest just outside the door of my Ithaca apartment.
A sit-spot is a practice often rooted in indigenous cultures, and it was introduced to me by one of my Environmental Studies professors. As the name suggests, it's a spot where you sit in nature, but it’s much more than just observing the natural world. It's a way to connect with both nature and yourself. Studies have shown that the practice not only reduces stress and anxiety but also improves focus and creativity—and helps you feel more connected to the world around you.
It’s easy to find a sit-spot when you’re surrounded by endless miles of forest and fields. But what happens when you live in one of the largest, most densely populated cities in the world? Where do you find a sit-spot when access to nature is limited? How do you connect to yourself in a place that is often filled with distractions? And perhaps most importantly, is it even possible to forge a connection with this urban environment when it can sometimes feel unyielding or harsh?
I’m still in the process of figuring this out, and it’s become an ongoing personal project