Some people love their dogs, some people love watching movies, some people love trying out new foods. But for me, I love going to the city!
One trip to New York City was all it took. One trip and I was sure this was the place I wanted to spend the rest of my life in.
My parents decided to take a trip to the city, and I, an eager little eight-year-old, could not wait. We all piled into a car and off we went. Of course we visited the common "tourist-y" sites: The Empire State building, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square. Don’t get me wrong, all of those are great, but those are not the things that truly made me fall in love with the city that never sleeps.
It was the constant hustle and bustle of everyone. The on-going honks of the yellow taxi cabs, and the nonstop hurry of the men and women in business suits walking around furiously to get to work on time; their heels striking the ground making a happy clink-clank noise. It was the comfort of everyone walking around with coffee cups in their hand, trying desperately to stay awake on an early Monday morning, and as you pass by, your nose filled with the smells of skinny vanilla lattes and double shots of espressos.
It was the cool breeze that blew through your hair while walking down the streets at night, as car tail lights illuminated a path down the road. It was the painfully overpriced, yet beyond tasty food readily found every time you turned your head, and the graffiti art covering bridges, alleys and windows.
It was the cute, cast-iron fences that led up towards townhouses, and the many shops ranging from high-end stores with prices that made you want to cry, to small boutiques of all sorts. I, being a fashion-lover, especially loved seeing all of the street fashion where you can literally never be too overdressed! In such a big city, it felt surprisingly comforting and homey. New York City is a magical place, where there's always something going on during every moment.
As an eight-year-old, the tall buildings made it seem like all the people in the world could fit into them, and it was a place where all your dreams could come true. It was a place where there could be no sadness, and when there was, you could just go and feed the pigeons in central park or sit on the met's steps and pretend you're Blair Waldorf.
It's been years since that trip, and everyday I am still stunned by every aspect of it. To be honest, I’m not sure how my friends and family stand me, it’s all I talk about. One day it will be my home, but for now, Michigan State University will have to do.
