Goodbye Gainesville
As I continue to put my life into boxes, I feel more and more sadness about leaving. Gainesville has been a great place to call home. It’s like a warm blanket on a cold night. It just feels comfortable. The city and its inhabitants are laid back and always united. No matter where you go, you always feel at home.
As I have driven around these last few weeks, I have made it a point to be keenly aware of what I am about to leave. I am glad that I am not in Atlanta yet wishing I had one more day in G’ville. Instead, I feel like I’ve been able to give my goodbyes. An of all the great characteristics in this town, these are what I will miss the most:
1. Gator Football: There is no better place to watch Gator games then right here in Titletown. The city is absolutely electric on game days. And (rarely) when the Gators loose, the entire city is sad. You can feel it in the air. Everyone here is untied by a shared love for a team that means so much to this city. I will always be a Gator fan, and if we make it to the National Title game, there is only one place I want to be to watch the game – right here in Gainesville.
2. Downtown: I’ve had some really great times downtown. Living here is wonderful. Not having to worry about how I’m getting home makes the evening so much more enjoyable. Although the area of downtown isn’t very large, there are definitely different things to do. Some of my favorite hangouts are Common Grounds, Dirty Nellys, and Market Street. And because they are so close, its easy to visit them all in a night. Of course, the best part of going out is the company with you. I will definitely miss most the third in our trio, who always makes every night downtown memorable.
3. The Top: One of the best, unique restaurants here in town. I have not met anyone who lives Downtown who doesn’t adore this place. It has so much character and fantastic food. As a vegetarian, I love their menu’s equality. Jonathan will tell you they have great meat, but they also have plenty of great meals for me to choose from. And as my great friend D-Wed first taught me, the double drinks are the best deal in town. And hands down, The Top has served me the best Vanilla Stoli and coke. Period.
4. Small Town Charm: Although I am excited about moving to Atlanta because it’s a big city, there is something about Gainesville small town charm that will be hard to leave. Anywhere you go, people are friendly. The city doesn’t overwhelm you. The streets are easy to navigate around. Gainesville is in its own world, contained in north-central Florida. A part of me will always have a place in my heart for this town.
5. The Greenery: One of the things I loved most about going to UF was the campus. Growing up in South Florida, I was used to concrete streets. But when I got to UF, I felt like I was on a northeastern campus. The brick and the old buildings are great, but it’s really the greenery and trees that make it. The greenery continues throughout the city. I believe it’s a law here that you can’t cut down a tree without planing another, so you can only image how beautiful it is to drive around. Although my drive to work each day is long, I don’t mind when I’m cruising down 8th under the canopy of trees.
