One month of living in the concrete jungle

I’ve been living in this concrete jungle for exactly a month, and I must say: It’s been a whirlwind, at the very least.

In the past month, I’ve learned a lot about myself and my goals. I’ve learned that I’m in the right place when it comes to my career. It is amazing to me how many people I encounter who have the same drive and passion as what they do as myself, and learning from them is something I’m trying not to take for granted. I’ve also learned that coming to this city by myself — exploring alone and fighting through personal struggles alone — is the best thing in the world for me. I’m miles away — physically and mentally — from all the people I love most in this world, and being away from them, outside of my comfort zone, is extremely difficult, but also very, very eye-opening. This city may be the largest in the country, but in my world, it is the most lonely when you try embarking on this journey alone and in very unfamiliar territory.

I’ve learned that when it comes to my career, aside from hard work and perseverance, patience is key. I can’t — and shouldn’t — expect to get exactly what I want in such a short amount of time. This idea is something I struggle with every day, but it’s also something I probably wouldn’t have realized without being here.

I’ve also been able to pick out — much more easily than before — my likes and dislikes with this industry, my pros and cons of living in Texas vs. NYC and the good and bad characteristics of myself. This is a result of lots of self-reflection, late-night talks with my fellows and interactions with my few friends here, as well as new people I’ve met along the way.

I could talk about these realizations forever, but my point is that spending a month in the biggest — and mostly unfamiliar — place has been much more good than bad, despite that it may feel like the opposite most of the time. And nothing is more satisfying to me than trying to live my dream and overcoming every obstacle along the way, because I know now I can do anything just by doing what I’ve always done, which is work hard and believe the people I love when they tell me I can do absolutely anything.

It’s the truth: I can do absolutely anything, and I will. I am, and I’m accomplishing my goals while mixing in some fun as well.