“Connor, it’s rising! It’s rising, I can see it!”
The sun, a lioness waking from her nap, stretched and woke at approximately 5:30am in the Upper West side of Manhattan, late June. I had not slept, chose to stay up all night for the sun.
It was my second night in the strange city, New York City, on the creaky mattress provided to me by Barnard College. I had gotten into the pre-college program a couple of months earlier, and this night was the start of my whole month away from home, living in the city and taking classes over the summer before my senior year.
Connor, the only thing I missed from home, shifted in his bed, sending crackling noises through my earbuds. He was miles away in our small town and we had been FaceTiming through the night. He didn’t say much, simply watched me watch the sun. I was so caught up in her rays that I forgot he was there.
“It’s funny, isn’t it? I used to wonder how this is the city that never sleeps and here I am, I never slept. I’m apart of the name now, you know?”
He hummed quietly in response. That’s another funny thing- time zones. I was three hours ahead and he, three hours behind, yet he was the sleepy one. But I couldn’t fathom sleep when the sun was streaming in through my blinds, creating horizontal jail bars across my face, though I had never felt so free. The birds were speaking to each other and the cars were driving by, early commuters on their way to work. Columbia University was across the street. Columbia felt like the real deal, the actual college, but I knew that was false – I was at an actual college, living the real deal. I had put hours into my application to this pre-college program and I had found the way to get myself here, and what is more “real” than that?
Connor was asleep now, and so was the feeble ache I felt that stretched from my corner of Manhattan to Dublin, California, my hometown. I sat up in my bed, mattress creaking, and looked out the window. The sun was moving quickly now, like she was struggling to keep up with the fast pace of New York City. I watched as the jail bars across my face rose, above my eyes, my eyebrows, my forehead… I adjusted my phone from where it was propped up, fixed it so that Connor could still see me. I don’t know why, because he was asleep, but I think I just wanted to feel seen in this city. It was easy to feel invisible in a place like this.
But there’s something freeing in that too, something I never had in my small town – insignificance. The sun’s jail bars in Dublin trap you, hold you there for everyone to see. Here, the sun’s jail bars are just that – sun. You can choose to push them apart, step out into the city before you, because no one will care if you leave. It is too big a city for everyone to know everyone, and that was strangely comforting. I was free to do anything, be anything I wanted.
My second night in New York City was no grand adventure. I didn’t get lost on the subway or see any attractions. I went on the best kind of adventure – the quiet, inner kind.
I ended the FaceTime call. I had never understood the beauty of “the city that never sleeps” until now.
This is why. This.
Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.
0 Replies to “The City / The Girl That Never Sleeps”
Comment on this article
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I love you, CJ!!
Thank you for sharing with us, I think this website truly stands out : D.
I will right away snatch your rss feed as I can not in finding your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me realize so that I may subscribe. Thanks.
Saved as a favorite, I love your blog!
Hello There. I found your weblog the usage of msn. That is an extremely neatly written article. I’ll be sure to bookmark it and return to read extra of your useful info. Thank you for the post. I will definitely comeback.
Great job on this post! Kudos to the writer for delivering such a top-notch piece!
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this write-up
plus the rest of the site is also really good.
Good day! This post couldn’t be written any better!
Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate!
He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him.
Pretty sure he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the blog.
I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest
but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back later.
All the best
I loved Japan before I visited there– loved their video games, TV shows, martial arts, and amazing sword fights. But my only contact with Japan was through the Internet. Reading Japanese comic books (Manga) and watching Japanese cartoons (Anime) are my favorite pastime. So on Christmas day, when my parents gave me a book about Japanese culture, I was happy. When I opened the book and discovered the plane tickets inside, I was ecstatic.
In preparation for the trip, we took Japanese language lessons from a private tutor. By the time the trip rolled around I was eager to practice my new skills.
After landing in Narita airport, our first stop was the Zen Bed and Breakfast in Asakusa, Tokyo. My formal Japanese greeting impressed the owners. In the mornings, we had breakfast with them. I had never had rice and soup for breakfast before. Being a very picky eater, I rarely try anything new. But in Japan, I was determined to try everything. These home cooked breakfasts were the best meals we had on our trip.
Very good article! We are linking to this great post on our site.
Keep up the great writing.
Nice!
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it’s really informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I’ll be grateful if you continue this in future. A lot of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
Awesome post.
Hi there! I just want to give you a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here
on this post. I will be coming back to your
web site for more soon.
The article on My Family Travels about Galveston being a great destination for family reunions is informative and inspiring. It highlights the various attractions and activities in Galveston that make it an ideal choice for bringing families together. From the beautiful beaches and historic sites to the family-friendly accommodations and dining options, Galveston offers something for everyone. The article also provides practical tips and suggestions for planning a successful family reunion, including recommendations for group activities and accommodations. The personal anecdotes and experiences shared by the author add a relatable touch and make the article engaging to read. If you’re considering organizing a family reunion, this article will certainly give you valuable insights and ideas for creating memorable moments with your loved ones in Galveston.
Great post.
I read this piece of writing fully about the difference of most recent
and previous technologies, it’s awesome article.
Excellent post – thank you – there is a lot to digest. We did the Alsace tour last year, which was fantastic, to tour the Rhine too. It is stunning in summer, which I hadn’t anticipated – I’ve always seen it in photos, beautiful in winter with the snow all around.
Great article. I took some ideas for a trip to Cambodia.
I always admire reading high-quality content, which I discovered in your post. I am quite grateful for this post.
I would also recommend other Kids friendly vacation safaris in Africa so that you can explore more areas
Sweet blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News?
I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there!
Many thanks
Awsome! Thank you for sharing.
A cruise like this is fantastic, taking in many beautiful ports and coasts, but what it misses, is the vast amount of country and culture that is further inland. While the coastal areas of Europe are stunning, a family would be missing out on a lot of experiences further inland, like Toulouse, lakes of Croatia and many more
Thankyou for this terrific post, I am glad I observed this website on yahoo.
We absolutely love your blog and find the majority of your post’s to
be exactly I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content for you?
I wouldn’t mind producing a post or elaborating on a few of the subjects you write regarding here.
Again, awesome web log!
Respect to post author, some fantastic information
Do you have any video of that? I’d love to find out more details.
Wonderful blog! I found it while searching on Yahoo
News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News?
I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there!
Thanks
bookmarked!!, I like yor website!
When we travel on road trips, getting our cars maintained is always our top priority! It’s never predictable what’s going to happen on the road once our car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. It was a very informative read, as well as the tips that followed!
If you make it out to Key West, definitely try to eat at El Siboney Restaurant. They have delicious, authentic Cuban food. Would highly recommend.
Good information. Lucky me I recently found your blog by accident (stumbleupon).
I have saved as a favorite for later!
Appreciating the time and energy you put into your blog and
detailed information you offer. It’s great to come across a blog
every once in a while that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed material.
Excellent read! I’ve bookmarked your site and
I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Morocco is a colorfull country and there are many things to see and do.
This topic is very helpful. Exactly what I was looking for
What’s up, after reading this awesome article i am also delighted to share my familiarity here with mates.
Very interesting info !Perfect just what I was searching for!
Wohh exactly what I was looking for, appreciate it for posting.
Hi there, I discovered your website by means of Google while searching for a similar matter, your web site got here up, it looks good.
I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hi there, just changed into aware of your weblog thru Google, and found that it is really informative.
I’m going to be careful for brussels. I will appreciate in case you proceed this in future.
Lots of other folks will probably be benefited from your writing.
Cheers!