East Meadow’s Social Scene and Its Influence on Young Adults

On Friday and Saturday evenings, one particular phrase can be heard echoing in homes throughout East Meadow- “There is nothing to do around here!”

Teenagers and young adults often flee the island as college bound freshman and young professionals seeking their first real job. This “brain drain” is commonly attributed to lack of suitable jobs, affordable housing and basic ability to support themselves expense wise on overpriced Long Island.

But, local young adults have also identified another factor that contributes to their yearning to leave, or stay, the place that they have known as home - the so-called “cool-factor.”

It is thought that the cultural scene can vary drastically from one town to another. In areas like Huntington, Rockville Centre and Port Washington, there is a robust setting that supports local arts venues, trendy restaurants and nightlife. According to locals, this is something that East Meadow is generally lacking.

“If I go out, it’s usually to Rockville Centre or Huntington,” said Katherine Doublet, 24. “Not saying that East Meadow bars aren’t worth going to, but I’d much rather not run into people I went to high school with.”

Though there may be complaints about the local bars, they are still packed during weekends. For the under 21 crowd, options aren’t quite as sizable. Raquelle Kabatsky, 20, a Merrick resident who spends a lot of time with her East Meadow friends, explained that “unless your going out to dinner, the mall, parks or beach there's not much to do if your under 21.”

Another problem some see with the area is the general deficit of appealing places, whether music venues, bars or independent coffee shops, for the young people who wish to enjoy local music in East Meadow.

“I think the main things around East Meadow are restaurants and bars,” said Jaime Michelman, 22, an East Meadow High School graduate who moved to Boynton Beach, Florida. “There really aren't too many places in the immediate area that offer live performances, art, shows, or activities to get to know others in the neighborhood.”

A major question is focused toward whether or not the aforementioned opinions translate into young people wanting to stay or leave Long Island and, more specifically, East Meadow.

Michelman explained that East Meadow will always be her home. She added that her friends and family make it comforting and she enjoys being close to the beach and New York City.

“However, I find that in East Meadow itself there are no areas where a lot of events occur,” she continued. “If I were to move back to Long Island it would be in a more congested area where I would not have to travel far to stay busy.”

Doublet explained that she loves Long Island because "everything someone could possibly need is within 30 miles.”

“But I think right now, staying has a lot to do with people getting back on their feet, I don’t know if the ‘cool factor’ has much to do with it,” Doublet added.