My 6 Month Anniversary

Monday, January 29th, 2018 was a big day for me because it marked the 6 month anniversary of having moved to New York City.  It has been important for me to acknowledge each month that I am here because I check on how I am feeling and what I am thinking about after the experiences I have had so far.  It was at this point when I lived in Los Angeles that I decided to move back to VA.  I am happy to say that even though NY is a tough town to live in at times,  I have no plans to move away anytime soon.

Here are six reasons why I feel like NY is the place I need to be:

1.  By living in NY, I am only an 8 hour bus trip away from my family which is crucial to me.  In Los Angeles, I felt a bit trapped knowing that with my financial state back then that if I needed to get home for a family event or emergency that the only way was an expensive plane ticket.  Now, there are multiple ways for me to get back to VA that are pretty affordable.  It is comforting knowing that my family is not really too far away if I need them and I can come visit without breaking the bank.
2. It has every kind of entertainment industry (film, tv, theater, etc.,) so I know that the opportunities that I am seeking are here.  It may be taking a little bit longer than I expected to get my start, but I know that eventually I will find success here because I will not give up.
3. Since film, tv, and theater industries are here, there are also tons of potential for fun, unique experiences in the arts.  I love being close to all the amazing plays and musicals because the theater scene is so different than in other places. They can be pricey, but they are quite often very worth it with all the details that go into each performance from the set, costumes, hair and make up, and stunning words or songs.  I’m an emotional person in general but a live performance can really make me feel something in a different way than a movie or tv show can.
   

   

   The Great Comet

   

   

   The Rockettes Stage

   However, I am a huge movie fan. I use Moviepass which is a service in which I pay $9.95 per month to see one 2D movie every day if I wanted to.  Since many indie and smaller movies premiere first in NY, it has been cool that I have gone to movies weeks before I would have seen them in VA.  A typical movie ticket runs about $15 or more. Since I have seen 17 movies since October with Moviepass, I have really only spent $2.34 per movie.  So, on days when I don’t have a lot of money, but I want to go out and do something, going to a movie theater is great whether I am by myself or with a friend.

   

   In general, there is never a shortage of unique things to go to. Just a few of my experiences include a comedy show starring a classmate from college, a free art gallery exhibit that I had to wait in line for an hour and a half but was totally worth it, an after hours event at the NY Public Library that included a costume contest judged by Tim Gunn, and an after hours event at Governor’s Island in which I got to see the most beautiful sunset over the Statue of Liberty.  If I am ever looking for something to do in NY, it never takes too long to find it and it will probably be something that feels like it could only happen once in a lifetime.

4. NY may have the reputation for having gruff or aggressive people but I have witnessed a lot of wonderful people who are out there helping each other.  During my first trip to NY all by myself back in December 2015, I was nervous about figuring out my way to meet my friend by subway.  Luckily a very nice stranger helped point me in the right direction and I was able to get up to her with out any problems and arrived on time.  Since moving here, I’ve seen many instances of people helping each other out on a daily basis.  During my trip to the bus to get back to VA for Christmas, I had two different people help me get my suitcase down to the subway level and then back up. Whether it be a random subway passenger helping a new mom get her baby stroller up the stairs or an older woman getting her groceries in her “Dolley Trolley” to the upper level of the subway, people in NY are bound together by the difficulty of getting daily activities done.  It is beautiful to witness the little bits of kindness people show each other here.
5. By living in NY, it has given me a renewed appreciation for my home state.  I am from Virginia Beach, VA and while it is beautiful, I am not the kind of person who wants to be near the beach all of the time. For me, the beach is a place to retreat to when I want to completely relax.  If I had the option to go all the time, I think I would get tired of it.  When I was in Los Angeles, the joy I felt about the warm weather in February quickly wore off when it was time for Spring and Summer and it was more of the same.  I like that I can live, work, and socialize in the city most of the time, and then leave to find calm and truly appreciate that peace and quiet.
6. I love the pulse of the city and the daily grind that I get to witness everyday.  It may seem hectic but it means that important things are being accomplished everyday here.  NY is a hub of so many different industries and cultures that it is cool seeing the interaction of each one on a daily basis.  People move to NY for film, tv, and theater like I did, but it is also great for those in law, business, finance, the culinary arts, and a variety of other industries.   I appreciate the fact that it is a place where people from all over the world and walks of life bump into each other and come into contact leading to a more diverse culture.

Since moving here, I have learned something new about myself everyday.  The past six months have not been easy, but the joy I get by being in the “Greatest City in the World” (sung by me like I was in Hamilton…lol) is the best.  It truly is an amazing place to live and has proven to me how resilient I can be and have been.  I still feel like quite a Virginian, but I am happy to feel more like a New Yorker everyday.