Over spring break, I went to New York City with some fellow Varsity News staffers.
We attended the College Media Association spring conference, as well as toured the city, and I have to say, it was one of the best travel opportunities I have ever taken.
Now, I’m no world traveler. In fact, this trip brought me my first plane ride (I only freaked out a little, and I’m a Level 1000 worrier).
Only once previously have I spent a significant amount of time out of Michigan, for my cousin’s wedding in Chicago a few years ago.
I’m comfortable here in my comfort zone, but I knew that I had to take this trip.
And I am so glad I did.
I (heart) NY.
The city was overwhelming, but I absolutely loved it.
I got to see the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, walk through Central Park, go to a Broadway show, and, of course, walk around Times Square.
Times Square is seriously awesome.
Even though I got approached about once every three seconds about buying a mixtape or a painting or a ticket for an event, I think walking around Times Square was my favorite part.
We went into the M&M factory, Hershey’s Chocolate World and all the gift shops, of course.
Seeing “Les Miserables” on Broadway was also amazing.
I own and am obsessed with the movie (2012), and it has been a dream of mine to see any Broadway show, so it was a perfect fit.
The actors/singers were wonderful and I bawled my eyes out because I was so happy and it was so good.
Somehow, I still made time to attend the conference.
I learned a lot about what it means to run a successful college newspaper, and it gave me many new ideas.
One idea that was stressed in a couple of sessions I attended was the idea of moving to a completely online newspaper, which I have mixed feelings about.
But, nonetheless, the conference was informative and introduced me to new and diverse views.
The trip as a whole really showed me how much I love big cities.
As much as I love driving, I really enjoyed walking and taking the subway to places.
I was averaging about 18,000 steps a day, which I come no where near while at home.
What this trip really taught me was to expand my horizons.
There is so much world out there, and I want to see as much of it as I can.
If you ever get the chance to visit New York City, I strongly encourage it.
Just don’t be afraid to look like a tourist, and you will have a great time.
