Back in the big city?!- lessons from traveling alone in New York

On May 11th, 2019 I went back to NYC.  I was a bit nervous because this trip was made possible by the new school I'm attending. (Oh, did I mention I graduated? I did, that's a thing that I did do. ) I hadn't really settled into the new environment but decided that going out would be a nice break from studying all semester.  I didn't realize that most students at this school use bus trips as dates, so I felt a bit out of place at first. I usually like to travel by myself, and it wasn't until the end of this trip that I realized that most people like to travel with others. I suppose I should get to the point of this post, huh? I took this trip in order to find a bit of inspiration for a new project and to learn a bit more about myself. I'm aware of how cliche this sounds, but it's the truth. I'll have a video covering all the places I went, so I'll keep this post focussed on what I took away from this trip.

                                            4.  little lessons from the big city

1. PLAN YOUR VISIT. I love to PLAN. in fact, I enjoy planning far more than actually doing something. I spent hours pouring over the details of my itinerary.  As much as I like to focus on the big picture, or end results of things, focussing on small details is a fun pass time for me. I looked up everything from what the weather was, to travel time. I like to know the ins and outs of what I'm doing. I like to be prepared as much as possible. Even if things don't go according to plan, I have a general idea of what's going to happen.

2. Traveling alone isn't as "odd" or "weird" as people make it out to be. My family very rarely asks me if I'm taking a trip with someone because they know that I'm content with being by myself, and being with myself. I know this isn't the case for everyone, and traveling solo might cause a bit of anxiety. (this isn't to say that I didn't get anxious, I did.) I'd like to take this time to say that a lot of people won't think you're strange for eating alone. If they do think it's weird, you probably won't be on their mind for very long. One thing traveling allows me to do is people watch. The number of people who are engulphed in their phone, preoccupied with school or work, wrapped up in relationships, or are, to be perfectly blunt, to nervous to pay anyone else any attention is incredibly high.  If the thought of "being alone" is uncomfortable then find something fun to do to take your mind off of it. It's far easier to enjoy yourself when you're doing things you enjoy than to spend time worrying about who is looking at you.

3. Don't travel like a tourist, unless you want to pay fees like a tourist. Because this was my 3rd time going to Manhattan, I wasn't extremely excited to go to Time Square. Don't get me wrong, it's a great place, and everyone should pass through it if they get the chance to go to NYC. It, however, wasn't a place I felt I needed to see multiple times. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first is the "mascots" that harass people. This is a scam, don't take pictures with them. Even though I know this is a scam, I hate walking past them and hearing them trying to get passersby to take pictures with them. (sometimes they'll photobomb people, and then insist on being paid for showing up in the picture.) Don't bother eating inside the Met, unless you're willing to pay. I typically go to groceries to pick up some snacks if I need them. Ethnic grocery stores are generally cheaper.

4, An easy way to get to know yourself is to analyze the places you like to visit. "Be yourself"; the bit of advice everyone gives someone entering college. I am a person who, one has been in college for a while, and two likes so many things that "be yourself" could easily place me in several subcultures. It's not uncommon to not know exactly who you are, or what you're supposed to be doing in college. When "be yourself" was not cutting it as useful advice I came up with this way of figuring out how to be yourself. I gravitate towards bookstores, old buildings, gardens, and museums. It's also a good Idea to take note of places you don't like to go. I, for example, had no desire to stop in any of the pricier stores. Gucci is a great brand if you like it, but it's not really my style. There are a few pieces I like, but I wouldn't spend money on items just to say that I own Gucci. There's nothing wrong with loving Gucci or high-end stores. I have family members who LOVE high-end brands and display it when they get the chance. It's something that they like, and I respect that that's something that makes them happy. For the most part, they're okay with my interests too.