Buzz buzz

They weren’t kidding when they say this city never sleeps. Now this city and I have something in common.

My balancing act with school/work/social life is delicate. Maybe it’s midterms coming up that’s made me evaluate my life a bit more, for better or worse. A few visitors in the past month have helped me rejuvenate and reminisce. I was almost tempted to say “reminisce about a simpler time,” but simple is relative. I will say I miss getting home from work to a bottle of wine and a movie. Now, it’s reading for several hours on end. I still tried to integrate the bottle of wine, though. Probably not the best of ideas when you need to read a few hundred pages and can only get through about 50 before you fall asleep.

Fall is definitely upon us here in the Big Apple. Rain and wind have replaced sun and humidity. In preparation of the winter months, I finally got the chance to raid SoHo and purchase my first pea coat. My first! Shocking, I know. I’m beginning to understand the importance of such a staple item and hope to get much use of out it. My next shopping endeavor is appropriate footwear. Suggestions are welcome.

I’m coming up on the 3 month mark and it’s already been a roller coaster (but thankfully, I like thrills).  I oddly feel like I’ve been here much longer, like it’s been a year or something. I suppose everything is moving at such a high velocity, it makes it seem longer.

Only a couple months left until my first semester is over…and I can’t wait. I think a month off at home is definitely needed to recoup so I can get back into the swing of things.

Until then, I continue on as a busy worker bee and making the most of it all.

Let Go

As I walk into my first graduate level course, I find myself amongst 2nd year students, full-time professionals, and doctoral candidates. Our professor is personable and welcoming (still much unlike a vast population here), but he’s no pushover. “Who’s your professor? What does he do?” Oh, you know…no big. He’s just the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs at NYU. First assignment: five chapters full of statistics on the demise of American community. Graduate school has officially begun.

I left that first class with a multitude of thoughts running wild in my head. The prevalent theme was, “what am I doing??” It’s not that I doubt this is the career path I want to go down. It was more of an overwhelming feeling of “just give me the damn piece of paper that says M.A.” I reflected a bit more after that only to discover it was a stupid idea. How can I expect to be an educator without educating myself? I ain’t no hypocrite. I read my chapters.

Much like the subways here, life is zooming by with greater ease than before. My subway savvy continues to bolster my self-esteem. It was odd not having a sense of direction, but it’s coming back to me. I can confidently read for class while waiting and riding on the trains. New York life might keep my on my toes for hours on end, but at least I can get things done in the traveling process.

It’s been a month and a half since I’ve been here. Life has not stopped since, but I’m happy with it. I went from being bored out of my mind to removing the word bored out of my vocabulary, so to speak. In class, at work, and in social settings, I’ve been describe by peers and colleagues as being quiet. It really took me by surprise, to be honest. I think my guard is still up, but little by little, I think I’m starting to let people in. It’s been a struggle to relate on many levels, but hopefully when I look back on my experience here, I will have learned more from others because of it.

I can’t say that I’m homesick, because I’m loving my time here. I am missing familiar faces and people I don’t have to create that familiar relationship with. Part lazy, part comforting, I suppose. Judging by my classmates and co-workers, I will get there. I need to be willing to give a bit more of myself, I think…but I’ll get there.

Hakuna Matata

I find myself plugging along in Gotham and taking in anything and everything I can. Continuing to make observations of what is familiar and what is out of my norm, I think I’m slowly but surely moving forward in my quest to be a New Yorker.

School hasn’t started yet, but I can tell it will be promising. After meeting some classmates at a social last night, I think there will be a variety of ideas and experiences for us to share. Truthfully what I was most proud of last night was knowing exactly how to get to the restaurant we were headed to: G to the A to the F. I will conquer the subway once and for all!

In a land of infinite options, there seems to be only one that it’s glaringly apparent to the passerby. Whether I’m in Midtown or the Lower East Side, the one place everyone seems to agree on is McDonald’s. I, for one, have not followed suit. I refuse to cave in (although it might happen eventually, but I’m holding out). I value my dignity, but somehow, I need to communicate that to my stomach.

The days are flying by and standing still all at once. My 10-12 hours days have been brutal, but I’m learning the ropes and looking forward to ultimately having a firm grasp on the school I’m working at. It was a bit problematic when parents dropping off their students would ask me, “where is Bursar’s office?” when all I could do is meet them with a blank stare.

Throughout the madness, I have crossed off some of my New York “to-do” items. I finally saw The Lion King for the first time. Great music and costumes met with overpriced souvenirs and hundreds of kids in the theater. I really can’t complain, as I did see the show for free. Oh the joys of working for Higher Education and chaperoning students’ parents. It was worth it to see the look of horror on some of their faces when we got on the subway. I’ve never seen a man cling onto a pole so hard before.

Though crowded, the MoMA was incredible. Any art museum that includes such greats as Dali and Pollack to Starry Night and Campbell’s Soup Cans is a winner in my book.

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge was an experience I will never forget. 1) because it was a 40-minute walk from campus which we did at 5am, and 2) there was a horrific accident on the bridge that shut down car traffic into Manhattan. The sunrise was not what I was expecting, as the sun had a blood red/orange glow. I just have to remind myself it’s all for the experience.

I had breakfast at Dean and Deluca. Felicity would be proud.

The Today Show was exactly what I expected. After not meeting Matt Lauer, I convinced myself it was significant I was there under the scrolling text outside Studio 1A the day Ted Kennedy passed away. We meet Al Roker and Anne Curry. Can’t sneeze at second best, I suppose.

~

The weather is a roller coaster and I’m constantly lathering anti-itch cream from being eaten alive by bugs. Nonetheless, I’m greatly looking forward to school starting, having friends visit from home, and seeing what antics I’ll add to my list.

Buses, Taxis, and Trains…oh my!

After landing at JFK and waiting for my luggage, there was an internal sense of relief: I’ve made it. I’m here. The sense of urgency hit me almost immediately, though. Get my bags, get a taxi, and go! After getting my bags and carting them to the exit, I could feel the excitement mounting. No sooner than the doors open did a little of that excitement disapate. The wave of humid air hitting my face was my wake-up call. Toto, I don’t think we’re in California anymore.

I’ve only been here a little over a week and already I’ve made some significant observations:

1. New York is old. I was not prepared for my new apartment to look like Rockefeller built it with his bare hands. Definitely wasn’t a fan of part of my ceiling deciding to fall on top of my bed, nor the four mouse traps in my kitchen. Nevertheless, once making two Target and Home Depot trips each, it’s starting to come together.

2. Carbs are much better here. Bagels, pizza, and pasta will be the death of me.

3.  Some people here are a bit rough around the edges; something I was not entirely prepared for.  I’ve meet tons of friendly faces who make me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. Conversely, I’ve also been met with indifference, the cold shoulder, and people being unhelpful. Be it the cold winter months or what have you, some New Yorkers have a certain “je ne sais quoi.” I’m thinking it’s not so much a bad thing, but something I just have to get used to.

4. ATM cards are not useful here. Cash is king.

5. Though it can be pouring rain outside, it can still be very hot. Boo.

6. The state of New York should have it’s own reality show called “Subway Idol.” I have a feeling it would have more epsiodes of tryouts and only a couple of the Top 10. So much talent here, but so many more other “unique” individuals.

7. California is expensive. New York definitely takes the cake, frosting, and fruit-filled center.

8. Despite being an urban environment, nature does exist here. And by nature, I mean mosquitoes, cockroaches, and rats – HUGE rats.

9. and finally, what I was paying for car insurance that is no longer needed will now go to comfortable walking shoes. Lots of them.

After getting the tourist bug out of my system, I’m ready to explore this microcosm of the world a bit more closely. There’s a million and one things to do here and only so much time in the day to do them. Time flies by here like nobody’s business.

My adventure has just begun and it’s going to be a good one; I can feel it. Just remember to ask me again when I see little white specks falling from the sky.