Project Exploration: New York City
Simone de Beauvoir once said, “There is something in the New York air that makes sleep useless.” In the time that I have lived here, I couldn’t agree more. New York City is the prime destination for exploration, a playground of discovery if you will. It is a floating fortress that virtually self-operates on the hopes and aspirations of young dreamers; it is an empire comprised of greed, wealth, innovation, and free expression; it is a world-renowned hub of creativity and originality; and it is a place like no other. New York offers people unique experiences; they just need enough passion to go out there and live it.
Of the eight million residents who dwell in the five boroughs of New York today, over a third of them are natives of foreign countries. The city continues to be the cultural capital of the United States due to its “diversity and vibrant intellectual life” (“New York City”). When applying to colleges during my senior year of high school, I was sure that I wanted to study business, but was still undecided as to what specifically I wanted to major in. I was ecstatic to hear that I was accepted by CUNY Baruch College, a college well known for its Zicklin School of Business. The decision wasn’t difficult to make after telling myself one simple fact: “What better place to study business and all its subdivisions than in the heart of New York City.” The number of networking events, internship opportunities, and job offers is insurmountable when you discover the vast amount of resources and companies that exist here. I plan on establishing a name and career for myself by exercising some of the privileges available to the inhabitants of New York.
Aside from intellectual pursuits, there are other ways to seek out what New York City has continuously offered. The Guggenheim Museum on 5th Avenue is only a 20-minute walk from where I live on 3rd Avenue. The first time I visited was not too long ago, and I fit in perfectly among the sea of tourists that swarmed the sloping hallways. Although some of the higher levels of the museum were under construction, the artwork displayed on the first four floors was absolutely spectacular. The Under the Same Sun: Art from Latin America Today exhibit was truly extraordinary, as the medium of art wasn’t limited to 2-D art like I previously thought all museums featured. On my way back to the dorms, I stopped off in Central Park to view the sun set behind the skyline of the Upper West Side. Almost nothing comes close to how peaceful I felt while overlooking the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. I felt undisturbed, calm, and relaxed—words that don’t usually come to mind when living in a city as busy and crowded as New York. Sometimes, the greatest scenes of New York City find you instead of the other way around.
One of New York City’s most identifiable traits is its diversity, which has come to mean much more than a wide array of cultures. People of various languages, cuisines, religions, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds fill the streets of New York every minute of every hour. The handful of times I have visited Union Square Park this fall have all been vastly unalike. On Sunday mornings, the area is filled with joggers and affluent consumers who have a little extra change in their pockets to buy breakfast at Whole Foods. Conversely on Friday nights, the scene is a bustling zone of energetic individuals: an impromptu dance recital with hula-hoops; an Indian-themed choir practice with the nature of a sacrifice ritual; a street performer with more talk and less walk; and a small soccer dribbling circle. A little further downtown, cameras focused on skaters zooming across Astor Place for a skateboarding film while pedestrians weaved in and out of the way. A friend of mine lives just around the corner on St. Marks Place, a lively little neighborhood of young go-getters attempting to make the best of their lives. I still remember this one Friday night where we went up to my friend’s roof and talked all night until two in the morning. The breeze was quite brisk, but the view of the sleepless city was marvelous.
As a result of my recent adventures in the city, I find myself assimilating into the life of a true New Yorker. I’ve attended several club meetings and networking events at Baruch that will aid me in securing a career after graduation. I’m already planning out dates to attend several of the other museums in Manhattan; and I’m attempting to improve my procrastinating ways so that I can enjoy the sights of Central Park more often. I’m currently a beater on a quidditch team that practices at East River Park every Sunday morning. Since we run with broomsticks between our legs whilst throwing deflated dodge balls at each other, I fit in spectacularly well with the Union Square occupants of Friday nights.
Of course, nothing that I’m doing today would be possible without taking the first step to explore New York City. As a native of Long Island, I’m leaping completely outside of my comfort zone to make this an enriching and memorable experience. It’s vital to have over-arching goals, but it’s best to enjoy the journey of achieving them. An active city like New York would make the journey all the more worthwhile. It’s like Mae West said, “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” Life in New York can be as fulfilling as the amount of time and ambition one puts towards making it a life worth living.
