When I first announced that I was going to New York City for college, there were a lot of people who doubted me for choosing to go so far away from home. Numerous people said to me, “Oh! Well, I hope you are going to survive in a big city like New York.” And one particular human being even smirked at me and stated, “Yeah there’s no way you’re going to make it up there."
Thankfully, they were all wrong.
I love St. John’s University, the friends I’ve made here so far, the adventures I’ve been able to partake in, and this is all because of an amazing place called New York City. Now, I recognize that the city is not for everyone and some people have bad, touristy experiences; however, despite other people’s opinions on NYC, I have completely fallen in love.
I have been able to truly experience NYC in various different ways: whether it be at a UCB comedy show, a Chipotle picnic in Central Park, a dessert and coffee trip following a visit to the MoMa, or my personal favorite, the seemingly short, yet very lengthy subway trips from Queens to Manhattan. And, everywhere I go I am absolutely fascinated with everything around me. The people are interesting and different from any other type of people I have ever been around. The art museums I’ve been to contain some incredible pieces of work, including one of my favorites: an untitled piece by Felix Gonzales-Torres. The coffee shops are all unique and special in their own way; I have been to over 15 while I’ve been here for two months alone. All of these things have added to my adoration for this city. But also, I am captivated with the small details I have discovered during my days of exploration and adventure through the boroughs of NYC:
1. The Waverly Diner in Greenwich Village with the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had.
2. The Orbs that a local Brooklyn artist designs and plants in parks around Manhattan (Shoutout to Orbs by KIRK).
3. The Charging Bull sculpture stationed off of Broadway and Morris St. in the Financial District.
4. La Loteria, the Mexican restaurant in SoHo that my parents took me to when they visited, that has the best guacamole I’ve been able to find here.
5. St. John’s Bread and Life, a miraculous non-profit ministry founded to help the homeless in NYC, located in Brooklyn that I do service at every week.
6. The quotes on the Housing Works Bookstore Café (in NoHo) menu’s specifically themed with items they sell.
7. Union Square’s Grey Dog with the coolest graffiti-decorated and most original bathroom I have ever seen.
8. The Hale and Hearty in Chelsea Market that I am convinced has better sandwiches than any other Hale and Hearty in New York.
9. The ‘Protect Yo He(art)’ imprints scattered around the sidewalks of the city.
All of these things are simple. And, I wouldn’t have found if I didn’t live here and take the time to explore and find my own way around. And obviously, nowhere is perfect. Every town, city or place, has its little quirks. But, these quirks are the very reason I love New York. The subway rides can be, admittedly, excruciatingly long. But, during those rides, I’ve bonded with my friends in a way that I do not think I would be able to without our subway trips. At first, it was a little tedious attempting to navigate through the city. Yet, after a while, I can now manage without getting lost (most of the time). People have a tendency to be rough around the edges. But, hey, so am I. There is some genuinely foul smells throughout different boroughs no matter which one you’re in. Yeah… I have no excuses for those; they literally suck.
Basically what I have found is that with the negatives, comes positives. Essentially, the bad things only add to the charm and appeal of NYC which is precisely why I would not change a thing.
