Living the dream and sharing it with others

Lately, I’ve had a handful of my friends tell me that I’m living the dream.

You know what? They’re right.

I’m fortunate enough to have secured an internship doing what I love in the city I’ve wanted to be in since I was little. And not only that — I’m fortunate enough to have the means to do so through my family, my previous internships, my bachelor’s degree, which I earned exactly a month ago (wow!), and the Poynter Fellowship for College Journalists.

But what I’m also fortunate enough to have are new friends I’m making who share the same passion for life and what they do as me.

This weekend, I hung out with some new friends I’ve made in the city. Little makes me happier than intelligent conversation, and my weekend was full of just that. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to people in the same boat as me. These people are extremely passionate, hard-working, talented men and women who love life and what they do. It’s sort of like PCF, in that you finally encounter someone who shares the same passion for life, and these people are so hard to come by.

People do come to New York City to live their dreams. They come from all over the world to explore a new place and work with those who have the same drive and beliefs as themselves. I don’t think I really gave much thought to how there would be people just like me in this city, as I was just focused on coming here alone and establishing myself in the professional journalism world. But these people do exist, and it’s comforting to know I’m not alone.

After being here for just a couple of weeks, I’ve learned that it is so important to follow your dreams. As cliché as that sounds, it’s so true. If you have the opportunity to do something you’ve always wanted to do, go for it. Don’t have doubts, and don’t let anything stop you. I can tell you that once you meet people who share the same drive as you do, you’ll begin to realize that not all is lost in this world, and your hard work will pay off. It just takes some time. My fellows know exactly what I mean, and I know a lot of my friends do as well.

So chase after your dreams. Work hard. Surround yourself with people who have a passion for life and their work, and I guarantee you’ll be a happy person. I know I am.