And My Future Was Written To Be in NYC

It all started with Nick Jonas. I was 16 and madly obsessed with him and the Jonas Brothers. He had a Broadway show and I live 3000 miles away from it. So, I longed. I persuaded. I convinced. I bought. His show was cancelled. So, I cried. But the trip to New York was non-refundable; therefore, New York was in our future.

The future became the present on June 27 when we boarded to fly to New York. The view from the plane as we were landing was amazing. New York, to my surprise, had a lot of little islands with immense buildings. I instantly found an attraction to the state. My first impression was demoted when we set foot outside. I was unimpressed. New York seemed ghetto and lifeless and my attraction began to vanish; all I saw were trees, cars, and graffiti.

However, when I entered the subway and was overwhelmed by its incessant movement, my attraction returned. Our way to our hotel on the subway let us see the various beauties the state of New York has to offer. I couldn’t stop smiling; New York was more than I expected. I needed to see more. We got to Fairfield Inn and wasted no time in getting to the Big Apple.

NYC was hot and humid. It was crowded with people power walking to their destinations in beautiful clothes. Being from LA, this was new to me, and I loved it. I wanted to be a part of the commotion in this city. It was my first day, and without seeing Times Square and Broadway, I was head over heels in love with NYC. When I did see them, I was taken aback by how illuminated and upbeat it was. Night fell upon us, yet it felt like it was daytime considering the brightness of my surroundings and how the people around me were still buzzing with life and energy. I understood why New York City is the city that never sleeps. My heart was beating rapidly the entire night, it felt surreal. I went to sleep so happy that night, looking forward to seeing more of NYC.

My birthday, the day I was supposed to see Nick on Broadway, I swallowed the tears and looked ahead because we were going to see a landmark I always dreamed of visiting: the Statue of Liberty. She was beautiful and an amazing birthday present. Ellis Island was next. I enjoyed living through the country’s heritage and origins, the reason for the melting pot that is the US. An expensive exquisite birthday dinner and walk around Times Square followed, and my Nick-Jonas-less-birthday was unforgettable.

In store for us the next day was Niagara Falls. I visited Canada, and rode the “Maid of the Midst” to see the falls up close. My parents could not be happier, especially my mom. The 14 hour roundtrip was completely worth the experience of a lifetime: seeing nature’s beauty and my family getting along.

My last two days in New York went by so fast. The baroque St.Peter’s Basilica, taking a picture with hot lifeguards at the Hollister Epic Store (a Hollister fanatic’s dream come true), luscious Central Park where we met the ever-charming Uhmad, Ground Zero, yummy pizzerias, a final walk around Times Square and of course, my future university NYU. Before, I wanted to stay close to home. After seeing New York, and visiting NYU, I can’t wait to become a part of them. I can’t wait to perform my heart out there. I can’t wait for them to become my home.