Happy to be checking in from my current whereabouts in Brooklyn, I couldn’t be more excited to share about our recent antics these last two months spent running around in the Big Apple. As much as I’d love to bask in the romance that this buzzing city has long been known for, I have to admit that New York has –as many warned me it would– done it’s absolute best to break my young adventurer spirit. In the blink of an eye, the last couple of weeks have zoomed by, and as I start to feel myself slipping into the creative plateau that a competitive nine-to-five internship might bring about, I’m holding this website tight as the creative lifeline it so currently represents. In such spirits then, I’m excited to detail the latest on my time here in nyc, update ongoing career moves and aspirations, and even possibly start to manifest a permanent move to this one and wild place I now get to call home.
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At the start of this summer, and very much thanks to the incredible (MAIP) program that helped connect me with some of the top agencies in the city, I started my strategy internship at a media agency called MediaCom. Nestled in the heart of boisterous Midtown New York, I wake up every morning and rush off on the crowded subway towards what I’ve come to discover is known as the armpit of the city. Messy, loud, and more packed than the last exit crowd your wrestled at a local concert, I couldn’t think of a better way to initiate my journey in this often overglamorized place.

As dreams would have it, I work on the 24th floor of a high-rise that somehow boasts an unobstructed view of the Empire State Building and even houses its very own private mini-rooftop for client events. It’s by all means nothing fancy, but also so much more than I could’ve ever dreamed of, and I often find myself feeling immensely proud of just how far I’ve come in the last couple of years since leaving my hometown in South Texas. Anyone who’s remained close knows just how much I’ve wanted to be here and for how long, but to finally start to see some of that work come to fruition… well it’s been more than I can put into words.
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Each of all twelve interns in my class is assigned to a different company client, and around noon every day we all gather in the cafeteria to grab lunch together. The agency has over 300 employees spread across three floors, so it’s been very nice not to feel like a total needle in a massive haystack. I’ve been consistently blown away at the level of intensity and professionalism that each individual brings to the table every day, and between my intern class at MediaCom and the rest of the MAIP interns placed at other local New York agencies, the competition is really starting to heat up!

In an effort to break the existing notion (if any) that I’m glamorously living it up in this movie set-like city, I’d happily share that I do indeed live in student housing accommodations made entirely possible by the same internship program that helped make this entire summer a reality. After confirming my residency at MediaCom, I “moved” up here for the summer on the dream that I’d secure a full-time position before August came to an end (fingers still very much crossed), and have been living in the Brooklyn Heights branch of NYU’s student dorms ever since. Our five-star establishment includes one below-average-sized room stuffed with not two but three lofted dorm-style beds, where me and my two other roommates squeeze in for some much needed rest at the end of every night. The bathroom doubles up as a star-quality sauna given the lack of any proper ventilation system traps every ounce of humidity from the shower, and our week-night dinners include Italian specialties from none other than culinary legend Mr. Boyardee himself. Life at its absolute finest.
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Yet abandoning sarcasm for just a second, I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d like to be. Sure, the days feel long and the nights are short, but something about building on the life and dreams I’ve held close for so long feels incredibly satisfying.

Living in New York is infinitely different from visiting it, I’ve come to learn. The first time I was here, I was charmed with every detail that makes the city so memorable and known, the whisper of possibility carrying heavy in even the air. Now, as I take my place among the choir of buzzing sounds that make up its morning ensemble, a different sense of reality welcomes me in. Being here, really being here, takes some kind of grit. During my short stay across the boroughs, I’ve been harassed by the birds, shoved aside on busy platforms, and even had food thrown at me by the frantic homeless. I’ve walked a block in the wrong direction and found myself completely lost, fallen asleep on trains that end up on the other side of the state, and have gained a new respect for the power behind a stern resting bitch face. New York is turning out to be everything I dreamed (and then some), but it also has a way of shaking you to the core.

In the midst of all the action, I’ve helplessly fallen in love with our quaint neighborhood nestled in the ever-so-charming and unreasonably-priced area otherwise locally known as Brooklyn Heights. Endless rows of picturesque brownstones stretch out in every direction, with each boasting their own little take on the historic and unmistakable style. I come home from work around 6:30pm every afternoon and seldom resist the temptation to wander around the beautiful cobble streets, sneaking pictures and soaking sunsets before finally heading back to catch up on work. Application season is in full swing after all, and with a group as competitive and dedicated as my fellow intern friends, easing up even a tiny bit just isn’t an option!

As I push through my Big Apple antics, I’m excited to share that I’ve officially begun the search to formalize my stay in this jungle of crammed buildings and lost tourists. For as long as I can remember, the fashion-splashed world of The Devil Wears Prada was my only window into this life, and now that I’ve seen it first-hand, there’s no doubt New York feels like my next home. As time permits, I will continue to sprint towards job applications, and can’t even begin to imagine just how wild the apartment search will turn out to be. Whatever the case, I’m here for the chaos and hope you’ll follow along –I can’t promise it’ll be glamorous but I know sure as hell it’ll be worth the ride!
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The lack of any recent stability has shattered my spirit in a way that I’ve never quite experienced before, but I’m betting on my dreams and hoping that all this time in preparation will help me land on my feet. To say that I’m afraid feels both so true and so insincere – I’m both constantly overwhelmed with the rush of possibility as it waits right outside my door, and simultaneously terrified that I’ll make the wrong career move and send everything spinning down to shit. Only time will tell what the future entails.

One thing is for sure, I’m not going down without a fight.

Hang in there friends, it’s about to get interesting.

Until next time,