For the past few weeks I have been fielding several questions from my family and friends back home. They ask about my life in New York, how I like NYU, what celebrities have I spotted from across the park. But the question that comes up in every conversation I have is, “How do you like New York?” The answer I almost always give is, “I love it here.” I know that seems rather cliche and lacks true refection and emotion, but honestly, I really do love living in New York.
It’s hard to describe what it’s like living in New York, or what I like most about this city because every day there is something new that seems to really stand out. On Monday of last week my favorite part about New York was attending my classes at NYU. I feel so lucky and blessed to be attending a university that houses very diverse ideas and people. I am learning from professors who are also working professionally in their fields. The professors that I have are all very passionate about their subjects and really seem to be excited about sharing their knowledge with the many students they are teaching. I will admit, however, that my classes are all very difficult. Although I only have two classes a day, four days a week, I have a lot of work to do. I’m not just talking about the hours of reading and writing that I must do for each specific class, but the constant thinking that I am doing. I mean it, I am constantly thinking. I am always asking myself, why is this relevant? If there is a fact that troubles me I ask, what can I do to change this? While I am sure this is true at almost any other college, being in New York City really seems to accentuate this thinking. Last Thursday what I loved most about being in New York was the fact that I can walk down any street at any time of the day and find some restaurant or cafe that is open and serves incredible food. Thursday night I found a great sushi place that is less than a block away from my dorm. Friday night I found a 24 hour restaurant in Chelsea that serves really good food. Their staff is also highly amusing and they turn a typical night out into an adventure. (I am almost positive that they are all actors simply moonlighting as waiters.) If I want coffee at 11:47 at night there are at least 8 places nearby that are open and ready to serve.
The thing is, at NYU I am not isolated from the rest of the world in a perfect bubble that is a college campus. When I visited other schools the one thing I noticed was that each school had their own boundaries that defined the school. Everyone you saw within those boundaries were part of the community and it felt very “safe”. While that safety and community is what many people desire, NYU lacks just that. Instead, NYU is located in the heart of one of the biggest cities in the world. When I step outside my residence hall I am surrounded by different people who each have their own story to tell. On my way to class I pass people from many different walks of life. There are men and women in business attire rushing to get to their next meeting. New mothers taking their children out for a mid-morning stroll around the Village. Tourists coming to see Washington Square Park, a location seen in several different films and TV shows (featured in the season premiere of Glee, just saying) and where I happen to be writing this post. Everyday I walk by people I have never seen before and I force myself to to stop living within my own little bubble and notice people. I begin wondering what everyone’s story is. Who is this woman who just walked by me with an iced coffee in her hand, where is she going? Who are the people in this group of tourists to my left? Where did they come from? The fact is, I am in the real world everyday. Many people refer to college as a safe time after graduating from high school when the real world is eerily looming just around the corner, but one can easily avoid it within their campus. Not me. I am in the real world every day. Everyday I am faced with new ideas and beliefs, and I am also encouraged to explore those new ideas.
The other day I was walking through the High Line in Chelsea (great park by the way, if you ever find yourself with a little free time in New York, take a little stroll over to 15th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue) and I saw a billboard that said, “New York City: Tolerant of your beliefs, judgmental of your shoes.” That truly is the philosophy that I have come to be a part of. New York is a place where you can truly be who you are, have any lifestyle that pleases you, so long as your shoes are in style. I’m talking to you, man who just walked by me with those weird toe shoes on… (I understand they’re comfortable while running, but he wasn’t running.)
I will admit that I have undergone a little bit of culture-shock since I’ve been here. For 18 years I was in a place that was predominately single-cultured. Every day for fourteen years I was in a school where I couldn’t walk down a single hallway without seeing at least one person I knew and could say hi to. Now, I can walk for hours without seeing a single person I know. Sometimes that can be a huge blow to my extroversion. I like being able to stop what I’m doing just to have a conversation with someone. But it’s also very exciting. It reminds me that there are still so many people in the world that I don’t know. There are thousands of stories that I have yet to hear, and seeing new people everyday reminds me to keep moving forward and to keep trying new things.
Hopefully this answers that question, “How do you like New York?” If not, feel free to give me a call and I’ll explain it even more.
