As a New York University student from 2021 to 2024, I used to walk through Washington Square Park (WSP) all the time. It was my path on my way to class, I ate lunch and sipped my Kung Fu Tea boba on its benches, I studied outside on its various lawns on sunny days and spent countless afternoons picnicking with friends. It was where I people-watched between meetings and broke up with a situationship. It became a place where I made memories, navigated growing pains and found comfort in the middle of a city that could sometimes feel overwhelming.
I’ll never forget the sounds of the jazz band playing in the summer or the skateboarders that rode in the fountain. After Liam Payne’s death, people left tributes beneath the arch at the park’s center. At other times, organizations have gathered by the fountain or its steps for protests and sit-ins. Whether it’s the memory of the city gathering in the park one spring afternoon to watch a solar eclipse, a surprise performance by Lorde, or the viral chaos of the iconic Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest, this park will always hold a special place in my heart…