Sometimes I forget I’m living in New York City. Literally, I turn a street corner, and the sight of the Empire State Building startles me. It’s as amazing a site today as it was two months ago when I first moved here.
I haven’t been here long, but I understand what’s often referred to as “the 10-year rule” to becoming a New Yorker. In essence, 10 years refers to the time necessary to get over the shock of seeing iconic buildings, neighborhoods and people. Add to that a dramatic lifestyle change encompassing expensive rent, constant crowds, little natural space and the subway in place of my beloved Subaru, and 10 years seems just about right.
Moving to a new “home” has always felt like a test of sorts –– it’s freshman year in the dorms all over again. I’m nervous, excited, eager and hopeful. But regardless of what transpires, I’m grateful for my resiliency because, at the end of the day, I only have myself at the start of these journeys.
This has been the hardest part of moving to a large city with family and friends 1,800 miles away. I’m not going to lie: The first weeks here were a struggle. I felt ungrounded, alone and a little disoriented. It’s taken two months, but I’m finally finding my footing.
Most Saturdays, I explore the bread shops of Chelsea Market and walk through the cobblestone streets of the Meatpacking District. Weekdays, I descend the steps into the crowded subway and head to work. And after work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the Farmer’s Market in Union Square is my “It feels like Colorado!” therapy.
It’s amazing how resourceful you can be when you just trust that life will happen despite not having a definitive path.
My life in Fort Collins was constantly planned. Here, I have tried to be more spontaneous and reduce self-imposed expectations and deadlines. During the past few weeks, smiling has become my go-to resource. This sounds so cheesy and naïve, I know, but the power of a smile is under-appreciated, not to mention under-utilized.
In a way, I’m conducting research on the streets of New York. I wouldn’t mind making a few new friends.
One of my new-found friends and I came to the conclusion that newcomers to New York will inevitably face challenges. And the challenges only become opportunities if you give yourself time to learn.
This week, for instance, I ordered my groceries online to be delivered to my apartment. Major success. Who would’ve known?
My new friend William, the security guard at one of my places of employment, tells me what streets to avoid at night. Advice I’m going to take.
And lastly, my vegan roommate encouraged me to read the book “Skinny Bitch.” Now I’m a vegetarian and a vegan-want-to-be. A mere month ago, I was living off sausage pizza from the corner Pizzeria. Who would have thought!
So I’m going with the flow, smiling, being open and spontaneous, and learning in New York City. Despite all this, I’m still stressed out, just like I was in my over-scheduled life in Fort Collins. I’m starting to think of stress as a good thing; it can definitely motivate.
Two months in, New York has me questioning my lifestyle, values and professional goals, which is horribly terrifying considering that, in December, I thought I knew exactly what I was going to do with my life.
I suppose the more experience I get now, the more informed and savvy I’ll become. I’m outside the Colorado bubble, that’s for sure, and I’m putting one foot in front of the other. I guess I’m on my way.
_Erin Eastburn is a senior apparel merchandising major interning at Tory Burch and working at Victoria’s Secret in New York City. _
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