My New York City Experience Part 3

MY NEW YORK CITY EXPERIENCE: June 20, 2022

The finale to what was one of the most insane months of my life! Okay, so I had booked a hotel room for the next two weeks, because I was striking out with apartments and AirBnBs. With my savings account and mental health draining, I realized my idea of what living in New York City was going to be like was nowhere near the reality. I decided it wasn't where I was meant to be.

My dad, stepmom & I got to the city Monday evening, and I spent Tuesday showing them around. I had to go into work at 6 p.m. that night and work until 2 a.m. I didn't say anything to anyone about my decision. I do remember eating the most delicious plate of cacio e pepe EVER. I definitely appreciated the free meal from the SoHo House. The fam left the next day, and at some point during my shift, I went to my supervisor's office and laid out my heart. They were very understanding about the situation, and I told them I could continue working through the rest of the week (since the schedule had already been made).

Thankfully, I wasn't scheduled to work Thanksgiving, so I got to cross an item off my bucket list: to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and it always begins with watching the parade. I woke up bright and early and secured a spot toward the end of the parade route around 7:15 a.m. When I tell you it was freezing, it was a real feel chill of 8 degrees. Al Roker kept talking about how this was the coldest Thanksgiving Day since like the 20s. I realized the parade wouldn't make its way to where I was for several hours, and there was no way I could wait. So, I hauled my tail up FORTY BLOCKS and landed myself toward the start of the parade. I won't lie, I teared up seeing that big 'ol turkey float. It was so cool to see in person! I made a vlog about it:

The next few days went by quickly, and it was my last day of work. Everyone joked that I had taken home a record for fast employee to come and go. When I left the SoHo House for the last time, I felt good in my bones, a complete 180 from anything I had felt in the previous few weeks. I had five days left, before I was going back to Virginia, and I wanted to make the most of it. I was really into vlogging at the time (no shame!), and of course, I documented that week's adventures. Yeah, I'm a dork, but I'm so glad to have this memory to look back on:

I kicked off Monday by going to Bryant Park's Christmas festival and watched ice-skaters while I ate the most incredible edible cookie dough. Then, I treated myself to the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. I saw Broadway shows, stood in the crowd of people to watch the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting (so cool, but dang it was a long time to stand for a 1 minute fanfare), and walked up and down Manhattan going wherever I wanted when I wanted. I was legitimately Kevin McAllister in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" just having the best time hanging out with myself. And I needed that time to decompress and reevaluate what was really important to me, and where I wanted to be in life.

While I was in my hotel room, I reached out to WSET to see if there were any openings, because I had interned there the summer prior. There weren't any current reporter jobs open, but there was an opening to be the morning show editor. I set up an interview for two days after I was set to move back home. I couldn't believe how easy that was compared to the struggle I'd faced all year to get an interview in New York City. If that wasn't the biggest wake-up call from God that he wanted me back in Virginia, I don't know what was.

My time in New York had come to an end, and I headed home to Virginia. I got the morning editor job at WSET and was able to secure an apartment in Lynchburg within 24 hours (funny how easy that was compared to my previous struggle?). I was offered a reporter job two months after starting as the morning editor and went on to do that for the next 2.5 years. That same month, I went on a date with Logan, and well, if you've read the other blogs, you know how that went down.

All this to say, looking back, I can see how God was throughout the whole experience. Though I may have thought I knew where I was supposed to be, He didn't allow me to go down that path, because He had something much greater in store. He gave me a career that propelled me to where I am now at Star Country and, more importantly, gave me my husband. His faithfulness is so present, and even though at the time I felt so lost, I'm thankful for my New York City experience.