Moving to New York!?

That's right! This week I finally fulfilled my 6-year old dream of waking up in the city that never sleeps—even if it that means communal bathrooms and shower shoes. Since it has now been a full week in New York, here is my time so far in review.

Meeting people is one of the best things you could ever do. There were so many rumors about my school saying that it was difficult to make friends here over more traditional schools due to everyones driven mindset—and while the mindset part is true, everyone here is badass—all of my encounters have been soooo friendly. Like at any college, everyone is in the same position and wants to make friends just as badly as you. What has been interesting and for sure a change is knowing your placement in it all. Back home, or at least at my home, everyone knew each other. They knew if you were always in the smart classes, if you didn't eat dressing on your salads, who you hung out with, your past relationships, and being thrown into college all of that goes away. Everything anyone back home knew about you is now all waiting to be dug up by your new classmates and that's both exciting and nerve-wrecking. It was nice to know your place. But now it's time to carve your own place alllll over again, and it is something to take advantage of even though it can feel like you need to prove yourself at times. Keep in mind that even though I think everyday we continue to evolve and reinvent ourselves, not too often do you get the opportunity to do so in front of a whole new audience. So my advice that I have learned is to put yourself out there. If you're sitting next to someone you haven't met yet, introduce yourself, ask about them. Compliment someone if you like what they're wearing, or what they're face looks like! BE NICE and everything will organically come together.

As for the city life, it took one day to fall in love with living in New York. Being from the Midwest, I still get excited at the idea of going to all of the touristy spots, so the fact that at the end of the night I get to go back to my room and sleep in the same city is so wild. I have already checked off a plethora of the typical New York first timers like getting lost on the subway and almost getting run over by bicycles on the Brooklyn Bridge to get that instagram pic...

But for real there is never a time to be bored in this city. Friday nights Union Square has open mic rap battles, dance circles, and double dutch. You can head to Soho to celeb scout and touch designer clothes you could never afford (one day), or head to the East Village (Timothee Chalamet's notorious favorite NY neighborhood— no I have yet to see him) for filing through the miles of books at The Strand and stalking the cute boys who read.

I know...I'm a creep, but look how cute!

But for real, at the end of the day, wherever you are choosing to go to college, to move to, or just to spend your time in, make sure it's full of eudaimonia. A place where your mind can flourish and the people you surround yourself with will continue to be your inspiration and motivation. Go somewhere that keeps you on your toes, somewhere that challenges you whether that be academically, emotionally, or socially.

Fall in love with your life.