The Big Apple

Sometimes I love living in New York.

Sometimes I absolutely hate it.

Today is one of the rare days moments that I actually like living in this crazy city. So I thought I would document the reasons I'm feeling positive about New Yahk. For posterity. So that the next time I find myself hating this place I have some optimism to scoff at.

1. New York actually looks very pretty in the rain.

2. Union Square has a farmers market on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. I'm a sucker for even the smallest farmers markets.

3. You can find coffee costing anywhere from $1.75 (Bagel Bob's) to $6 (Italian cafe) depending on how serious your addiction is and how fancy you're feeling.

4. When it's only 10 pm and you're feeling exhausted and want nothing more than to climb into bed, there are restaurants and streets still full of people to energize you a little bit.

5. Even though the subway is dirty and old, you gotta admit it's pretty damn efficient. (I was spoiled by London's pristine Tube and Shanghai's 地铁 ditie, which was always on time to the second.)


6. You can walk anywhere.


7. You can still make amazingly delicious meals in kitchens the size of a coat closet.


8. The Empire State Building is lit up in a different color every night. 


9. Cheesecake. 


...I just wish New York City had more Trader Joes.

If I can make it there

Tomorrow I'm getting on a flight that will return me to New York City.

It has been about a year and a half since I have been there. I know it should feel like a homecoming, but it doesn't really feel that way. I've been away for such a long time that it almost feels like I don't go to NYU at all. It's silly, but I almost feel like a nervous little freshman all over again.

The end of last semester was stressful, to say the least, and even the ridiculously long winter break NYU gives us didn't allow me enough time to recuperate fully. Part of me wishes I could stay here in my big, comfy bed watching every episode of How I Met Your Mother over and over forever. But all of my friends and even my sister are back at college. I can't live in a perpetual Christmas break.

As motivation, here is a list of reasons why I'm excited to be returning to New York City:
-meeting new people, making new friends
-seeing old friends
-cooking
-shopping at the Union Square farmers' market and the Trader Joes that is right across the street from my dorm (it's the small things)
-classes in that big, beutiful Stern (Tisch) building
-everything bagels--toasted with cream chese
-bragging to all of my friends when the 49ers beat the NY Giants on Sunday (fingers crossed)
-a full course load of exciting and non-b.s. classes
-Crumbs cupcakes
-the first snow day of the year
-24hr subway

And there are a myriad of other reasons for me to be excited for this semester. I just gotta keep telling myself about all of them.