51茶馆儿

Hello, reader!  

My name is Paige Stephenson, and I am a rising senior (class of 2026) at Skidmore College. I鈥�m a double major in English and political science, and I work as a thoroughbred ambassador for our Office of Admissions.   

When I set out on my college search, I had a very broad umbrella of things I was looking for: I wanted to go to a small liberal arts college with a nice campus feel and somewhere that wasn鈥檛 too hot 鈥� I鈥�m from Massachusetts, where wearing basketball shorts in the dead of winter is commonplace. 51茶馆儿 fell within those rough parameters, but what set it apart from the rest?   

For me, one of the big factors that set Skidmore apart was its location in Saratoga Springs, New York. So, what鈥�s so wonderful about this city just three hours from New York City?   

Downtown Saratoga Springs 

Downtown Saratoga 鈥� an easy 10-minute walk from campus 51茶馆儿� is loaded with opportunities. Its numerous lovely little cafes (perfect to cozy up and work in) are just the beginning. (I write this from my comfy on-campus apartment, although I wish I were in Uncommon Grounds, a popular downtown bagel and coffee spot.)  

Two other favorite spots of mine are Lyrical Ballad, a secondhand and vintage book shop, and Northshire Bookstore. I could spend hours in either, lost somewhere in the bookshelves. Northshire has an exceptional brown couch that I could sink into forever.    

Cantina, a Mexican place downtown, is so good that my mom once demanded we go there for lunch and dinner. It鈥檚 one of dozens of restaurants on Broadway, the city鈥檚 main thoroughfare and the heart of its social scene.  

There鈥檚 really something for everyone 鈥� from restaurants to fun shops. My girlfriend goes to Treasures, a thrift shop only a few streets off the main stretch, almost twice a week.  

Location! Location! Location!  

Saratoga Springs also benefits from some great geography: Located near Albany, New York鈥檚 capital, it鈥檚 also easily accessible to New York City, Boston, and Montreal. For those who love the outdoors, it鈥檚 a quick, 25-minute drive or so to the Adirondacks.  

In Glens Falls, the nearest city to the North, there鈥檚 a wonderful museum called The Hyde Collection. It reminds me of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum back home in Boston: The Hyde Collection is a historical home with a huge collection of classical and modern art. Also in Glens Falls, there鈥檚 a ECHL hockey team called the Adirondack Thunder. I went to a game with my Grandpa (I鈥檓 a Bruins fan and he鈥檚 a Penguins fan, so it鈥檚 neutral territory).  

I made my first big journey off campus during my sophomore year, when my friends and I decided to take a trip three hours northward to Montreal during our spring break.    

There were a few small bumps in the road 鈥� the travel playlist cut off as soon as we crossed the northern border (smack dab in the middle of 鈥�Scotty Doesn鈥�t Know鈥�) since none of us wanted to pay for international service. But the trip from Saratoga went wonderfully.   

A great place to learn   

And of course, the student academic experience is a big reason why I selected Skidmore.   

My junior fall, I was selected by the Department of Political Science to represent Skidmore at the Student Conference on US Affairs (SCUSA) at West Point. I felt very lucky that the drive was only about two and a half hours, directly south via I-87.   

Each roundtable included about 20 students from all over the world. Two surprisingly friendly representatives of the State Department also attended.

Although I didn鈥�t always agree with everyone, the environment was largely one of discussion and respect. It was an experience I will always remember.  

As a political science major, I鈥�ve also had great experiences in Saratoga Springs, volunteering with local groups like the League of Women Voters and interning for politicians running for State Senate. I even helped with a state senate campaign.  

As an English major, Saratoga Springs is the place to be in the summer. Each summer, Skidmore hosts the New York State Summer Writer鈥檚 Institute, and I鈥檝e enjoyed the opportunity to practice creative nonfiction and interact with some of the most talented writers of the modern day 鈥� from Robert Pinsky to Joyce Carol Oates.  

But these are just my experiences: I challenge you to discover your own reasons why Skidmore and Saratoga Springs might be the perfect hub for your college experience.