I graduated from college in May 2021, brimming with excitement and dreams of moving to New York City, just like many others. By August, I was starting my dream job at Cosmopolitan Magazine as a Digital Designer. With the car packed up in Bethesda, MD, and accompanied by my Mom and Grandma, Susu, we set off for Manhattan. Four and a half hours later as we approached the West Side, I remember asking, “Why is everyone honking?” My mom laughed and said, “That’s just New York—people honk for no reason, even just to say hi.” She then honked our car horn just for fun.
That night, we stayed at my sister’s apartment, just a few blocks from my new place. Susu and I shared the sleeper sofa, while my Mom and Alexa took the bedroom. We watched a movie, ordered sushi, and although I tried to sleep, my excitement for the move, coupled with Susu’s snoring, kept me up.
The next morning, we headed to my first-ever “big girl” apartment. I met the doorman and picked up my keys. This was my first time seeing the building and the apartment since my roommate had chosen it, and I trusted her judgment. I walked into 23A, delighted by the beautiful space and the view of One World Trade Center from my window. We unpacked, assembled the desk, and hung artwork to make the place feel like home.
Amidst the excitement, a wave of anxiety hit me about this sudden life change. It was a new chapter, with all the uncertainty that comes with it. I was in an unfamiliar neighborhood, in a city I had never known. Questions filled my mind: Who would my friends be? What will my everyday look like? What would happen if I needed someone at 1 a.m.? Although I’d felt similar anxieties in college, this was entirely new all over again.
Despite these feelings, I quickly found my rhythm. I started my job at Cosmopolitan, working in the office on Mondays and Tuesdays, with the rest of the week remote. I got an Equinox membership a few blocks away and would walk on the treadmill while answering emails.
My sister introduced me to Chabad Young Professionals of Chelsea, where I often went for Shabbat dinners and met my best friend, Nikki. I attended my first New York Fashion Week as a temporary social media manager for Cynthia Rowley and was blown away by the show. At an after-party hosted by Lox Club, I met Ally, a dynamite who became one of my first friends in Manhattan. I also met Alex via Instagram DM, and we quickly became great friends. Additionally, Fernanda, my high school friend, lived in Soho not too far away, so I got to see her a bunch too.
After the initial excitement of the first few months, I fell into a pretty dark place anxiety-wise. I didn’t feel like myself and struggled with the challenges of being an “adult” for the first time. Fortunately, after meeting with a psychiatrist, I adjusted my medication and started therapy regularly. This helped me feel like myself again, making my second year in the city all the better.
In June, my friend Callie moved to the city, and I started a new job at Coach as a Graphic Designer. I spent the summer between the city, my hometown of Bethesda, in the mountains in Colorado, and the beach in Ocean City, MD, enjoying the variety of locations and experiences.
That summer, my camp friend Kelsey came to town, and we decided to live together since my old roommate wanted to move to the East Village with a friend. With the medication adjustment and regular therapy, I started feeling much better and in a much better place.
I returned to the city for “sophomore year,” feeling new and improved mentally. I had a new roommate, felt much more adjusted to my new home, and had a growing foundation of support among my old and new friends.
Throughout the year, I worked at Coach, learning more about the fashion industry and the corporate world. On the side, I continued building my portfolio and professional relationships by freelancing. I wrote fashion and beauty pieces for Byrdie, did various graphic design projects, and continued growing my own social media following.
The third and final year in 23A was the best yet. Kelsey and I developed a great groove and lived so well together, making it one of the best, if not the best, roommate situations I have ever had. We seamlessly managed household chores, like refilling paper towels, without questions or Venmo requests. We were there for each other but also gave each other the space of living our own lives.
By March 2024, I felt it was time for a career switch. Coincidentally, my team and I were laid off around the time I decided to switch things up, which I believe was fate. Unsure of my next move, things quickly fell into place as new clients approached me for freelance partnerships, allowing me to pursue freelancing full-time. Thus, CB Design & Creative was born.
In May, Kelsey and I decided it was time to move out. She wanted a new experience, and the rent was becoming too expensive. I decided to live alone and started browsing Streeteasy. Ultimately, my mom found a great place across the street from my sister, providing a perfect step towards living alone for the first time.
Now, with boxes at the door ready to be packed, the movers coming on Monday, and bittersweet feelings about leaving, I reflect on the past three years in this apartment. I have many memories and experiences that shaped me—love interests, friendship breakups, new friends, moments of happiness, and a few crying-in-bed moments (we all have them).
I’ve grown more than I ever had in the past three years. I will miss my routine here, the relationships I’ve built with the doormen, the familiar faces of neighbors in the elevator, the super expensive grocery store I frequent, the not-so-great coffee shop around the corner, and my close walk to Madison Square Park.
As I approach this new chapter living in a studio in a new neighborhood, I am excited for the new experiences and memories I will build there. I look forward to seeing where my career takes me, how my business grows, potential new love interests, strengthening old and new friendships, growing even closer with my sister, and exploring and calling the Upper West Side, home.