In the world we live in today, there’s all this pressure to make something of yourself, to do something bigger and better, and if you don’t post it on Instagram did you even do it? But to some degree, we should all try to live up to that standard. To do something big and grand, even if it’s just for one day. It doesn’t have to be something drastic, just something out of the ordinary for you personally. And that’s the most important part: when you do something out of your comfort zone, make sure that you’re doing it for you.
My adventure out of my comfort zone was a trip to New York City. I’ve been into the city before, but it’s always been with some kind of plan mapped out for the day, and it usually involved only shopping in Times Square or seeing a Broadway show. This time, however, I went in midday with some friends before going to see another friend’s show later that evening. Our friend was in a cabaret, something I’ve never seen before, at a little hole in the wall theater. Before her show, my friends and I had a few hours to kill, so we went exploring.
Our first stop was Bryant Park, which was so cute! Traveling to the city can make you pretty hungry, so we didn’t stay in Bryant Park for long. Normally when I go into the city, I eat in a restaurant. Since my friends and I are all broke college kids now, and since it was such a beautiful day, we stopped at these food stands housed in tent-like things. There was a lot of Hispanic and American food. While I would normally go for something more American, like a burger and fries, I decided since I had never been to a place like this before I would try something new. I got spicy chicken and rice and water infused with watermelon and it was a great choice!
After walking around the street fair, we picked up a few more friends in Times Square and then headed to our other friends' show on West 47th Street. The theater was tiny, with only three rows of chairs, and black cloth covering the walls. Since it was a cabaret, which is a bunch of people performing individual songs, there wasn’t any scenery. Once each performer started singing, however, you realized there was no need for scenery anyway! The MC was dressed in drag, which was something I’ve never seen in person before, and added to the uniqueness of the show. Every performer was extremely talented and people I never would have otherwise seen perform.
By the time the show was over, we had only 50 minutes until the last train left the city from Penn Station for the night, so we wound up running the whole way back, which was equal parts funny and stressful.
Although going outside of your comfort zone can be difficult, it’s meant to be. Life is short and life is beautiful, and it is true that every day should count. My day and night in the city were made up of the small things, but I know the day will be one I will always remember. So if you do anything for yourself this summer, put aside to do something big, something you’ve never done before. And while you’re at it, take some cute pictures, (because you’ll probably want to post your pic on Instagram).
