The constant rush. The smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning and baked donuts on every corner of the street. The fast jaywalking with both headphones in your ears. The honking of the ambulance or firetrucks every ten seconds. The city where beauty and money prevail, and age doesn’t matter. The best cuisines and cultures from all around the world. The overpriced food and drinks, or the shops on the 5^th Avenue, but also the unimaginable variety in the big stores. The whole New York atmosphere is a world of its own. People are constantly rushing somewhere, no matter where you turn there is a crowd or a line, and skyscrapers that make your neck hurt if you try to look up. There are all sorts of people, from the classiest and wealthiest people in the world to the homeless ones that you’re scared to walk past. Yet, as soon as you step on the street and start walking down one of these avenues, you get an immediate source of energy that lifts you up and inspires you, makes you believe you can do everything and accomplish anything that you set your mind to, and even makes all those disgusting city smells of weed and trash in the summer disappear. As you’re walking, wherever you turn, there is a famous building, restaurant, or spot that you remember seeing in one of the movies or tv shows. Every corner of the street has its own story and history. It’s like I was living on a set of a movie every day.

I am sure you have heard about the New York City lifestyle in many different shapes and forms, yet not matter which description you find, it brings us to one truth: New York City is one of a kind.

Two summers ago, I got an amazing opportunity to work as an intern in a luxurious company for some time. I have been to New York City many times before, but always as a tourist. Besides becoming a professional athlete, it has always been my dream to live and work in this city as a young adult. I know, two very different dreams… weird right? You can call me basic, or it might be the girly side in me or even all those episodes of Gossip Girl, but either way, I couldn’t be more thankful to have gotten a chance to experience this unique lifestyle. This experience was a dream come true, yet it just helped me focus and pursue my professional career even more.

During my summer in New York City, I got to be many different versions of myself and not just an athlete always in athletic gear and dressing up only once in a while. Every day I wore business casual and heels, and even though I paid the price for this by walking 46 blocks in my heels and getting horrible blisters before realizing people walk in their sneakers and bring their heels with them (blonde moment, I know), it was still an amazing experience. The constant meetings, long dinners, private clubs… it was all just part of this crazy lifestyle. Only in New York could you be working in an office most of the day, and then running across Manhattan to teach a famous actress some tennis lessons for her next role. She might not have known much about tennis but she sure did have some incredible life advice to share and I am always going to cherish the time I got to spend with her and the friendship we made.

Even when I wasn’t working, I would be touring the city, having brunch with friends I had there, going on long walks through Central Park, or having some long dinner dates and nights out. Yet, one day I was sitting in my favorite place, Bryant Park, and it just hit me. This lifestyle is amazing in so many ways, from getting to know some great and successful people, making connections, enjoying the city, being surrounded by people with no limits, yet at this point in my life, it just didn’t feel right. We always say it is the people that make the place feel like home, and I’m sure I would have met a lot more friends along the way, but when I would press pause, the city felt lonely. I would be sitting there, watching everyone just rush from one side to another without even stopping for a second. They were pursuing their dreams and goals which made me want to get back to mine. Traveling around the world and chasing a yellow, puffy ball. Sounds silly, right? But as long as we do what we love and continue to chase our dreams, not much can get in our way… wouldn’t you agree?

Uncategorized intern job lifestyle New York City