Moving in! (Friday, January 16th)
I guess I am lucky because I only live about an hour from NYC; however, driving into the city, parking, and dealing with all the traffic and the people was a bit more complicated. I have been a textbook tourist in New York, riding taxis and never going beyond the major attractions, including dinner at "Jekyll and Hyde" or "Hard Rock Café." But this time, when we drove into the city, it had a whole new feeling. I was coming to live here…be an actual resident and live in one of those super tall buildings that requires an elevator ride each and every day!
I was very excited, but as my parent's only child, and being a 21-year-old girl who has always lived in the country, I could tell they were a little nervous about me being here...or actually, a lot nervous. I was the first one to arrive at my apartment and I could not wait to see it. After three trips from the car to the elevator and up to the 32nd floor, I placed all my stuff into the apartment, which is beautiful and has an amazing view. A bit later, Ann Hapanowicz, one of my two roommates, arrived. After much moving and shifting and demolishing and cleaning, we finally got our room together and put our stuff away. Zach, Jubin and Kristy arrived a little later and added to our new home. After a quick trip to dinner at a nearby Subway, my parents and Ann's mom and sister left, leaving the five of us to settle in.
After a meeting at Professor Eismeier's apartment one floor above, I collapsed on my bed and fell asleep. Our apartment still needed some work, but I fell asleep very content in my bottom bunk.
The "walking tour"- also known as the "wicked cold standing around I can't feel my toes, arms, legs, body tour"
Just two short weeks ago, I was lying on a beach chair in Punta Cana wishing it were a few degrees cooler. Now, on a bitterly cold day in NYC, I was on a "walking tour" of the financial district. In the beginning I was just a little chilly, by the middle I had lost feeling in all of my toes and fingers, and by the end, my friend Erica was asking me about the symptoms of frostbites. Despite the cold, we were able to learn some interesting facts about J.P. Morgan, the Rockefellers and Germany. In the future, though, I would recommend this tour during the summer months when one can really enjoy the sites.
Movin' Out!
I am in love…and his name is Eddie. Well, his name is actually John Selya, but his character's name is Eddie from the Broadway show "Movin Out." During the show, he looked at me and I almost died!
Ann and I had decided to meet in Times Square and go out to dinner, but before we went to the restaurant, we decided to check to see if there were any tickets available for "Movin' Out." The man at the ticket office told us he could give us student seating for $30! We bought two tickets and went to dinner at Fridays before we headed to the theater.
As it turns out, we had the front row and it was amazing! We missed a little of the action when the dancers in the back were on the floor, but we gained so much from being right in on the action up front. We were close enough that if we were to put our arms out we could have touched the dancers. I have seen a few Broadway plays and musicals but I have never had an experience like this before. I love New York!
A Topic for the Week
E.B. White, in his article "Here in New York," describes the difference between living in the city and being a visitor. I always knew the city from the commuter side, but for the past week, I have woken up to the sounds of the sirens and the wail of the boats; I have looked out the window at the Statue of Liberty; I have grabbed an "A.M." paper from the man outside the subway; and I have traveled from my apartment with the herds of people going to work or school. I understand why so many people view the city as overpowering. I love living in the city but I constantly feel like I am missing out on something. There are so many choices—people to meet, places to go, food to eat, that I don't know where to start or where to begin.
Even with all the commotion and people, the city oozes with loneliness— people sit on the subway without saying a word to each other; employees and residents are silent on the elevator, and the lady from Dunkin Donuts completes the transaction without ever looking up at my face. White describes New York as giving the "gift of loneliness" and I believe this is due to the awe-inspiring and overwhelming environment of the city. New York represents independence and a chance to start from the beginning, making it socially acceptable to be alone. It is this atmosphere that almost justifies everyone keeping to him or herself and worrying only about his or her actions.
However, I feel as if people are just looking for the opportunity to say hello and reach out of their world of isolation and privacy. My goal this week is to try to expand my horizons and explore the city, eat at a different place everyday and say hello to people on the elevator. While I will probably still be overwhelmed, at least I am making a dent in escaping the "lonely" city life.
