Greetings friends!
I would apologise for my absence on the blog recently but if you're not new here, then you'll already know that this is just me now. I'm a highly unreliable blogger who consistently says "I'll make a schedule and upload regularly!!" and never does. Sigh.
Anyway, in case you are new here (hello and welcome to the chaos that is my life) I am a 20 year old student blogger, chasing my dreams in the city that never sleeps. Which is ironic because I also have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, otherwise known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS).
Whilst I am terrible at finding the time to sit down and write for my blog, I do my best to be active on my socials. So if you're interested in following along in my journey, check them out! I recently started a series called Charlotte in New York (inspired by the Netflix Original Series Emily in Paris), and post pictures of my adventures, as well as ramblings and reflections on my life with chronic illness. Anyway, I digress.
I have been in New York for almost 7 weeks now, and it's been pretty crazy! Today I figured I would tell you guys about it, from the 14 day quarantine to the top of the Rockefeller Centre - it's been a whirlwind. Let's jump in!
The Dreaded Quarantine
Okay so it wasn't that bad.
After 4 months of shielding in the UK, 14 days didn't seem so long. The worst part about it was the torture of being in such an incredible and exciting place and being confined to my apartment.
The second worst part was the jet lag.
Being in quarantine for 14 days meant that when I was tired, I wanted to sleep. I didn't have a schedule, I didn't have much to fill my time, I couldn't even just go for a walk to wake myself up. As hard as I tried, by 8pm my eyes were heavy and I was settling in for the night.
I had a few zoom meetings here and there, but it was pretty much two weeks of bingeing Netflix and eating junk food.
Introduction to the Labs
My first day in the lab went a little something like this:
7am - wake up and worry
7:30am - try on every single item of clothing I brought with me and then go with the first thing I tried on
8am - Try to eat something, instantly regret it and leave the uneaten cereal on my desk
8:15am - put on heeled boots which I will later decide never to wear to work again
8:18am - start to walk to work, realise the subway trains are delayed and attempt to get a bus
8:30am - realise I am on the wrong bus and begin to panic
8:35am - get off the incorrect bus and email my boss profusely apologising for tardiness on my first day
8:36am - start walking in heeled boots which I already realise were a bad idea
8:45am - receive a reply from my boss explaining that he didn't plan to be in for another hour anyway
9:05am - find a subway station and attempt to get a train because my legs don't want to carry me anymore and I can feel the blisters forming on my feet
9:07am - get on a train
9:08am - realise it is the correct train and breathe a sigh of relief
9:15am - finally arrive at work
9:20am - stand in line to get my ID card, sweaty, stressed and knowing there was absolutely no point brushing my hair this morning
9:25am - my tour of the labs begin
9:27am - already forgotten where the toilet is, can't even remember where I came in, the lunch room might not even exist, have decided this building was designed so people get lost
9:45am - tour ends and I awkwardly wait for an email from my supervisor saying he has arrived at his office
9:47am - tour guide returns for me after seeing me awkwardly waiting in the corridor on the security cameras (embarrassing)
9:55am - finally meet my supervisor and realise he's not that scary after all, and actually, this is going to be okay.
You'll be pleased to know that since that first day, I have not gotten lost or taken the wrong transport on the way to work, and I managed to find both the lab and the toilet on my second day.
Seeing the Sights!
I know this is what you're all really here for. In case you missed it before, my NYC bucket list is available here, so you can follow along in my adventures and keep me checking off all the items whilst I'm here! So without further ado, in chronological order, here are the New York tourist attractions I have already ticked off my bucket list in my first month of life in the Big Apple!
Central Park
I'm lucky enough to live about 2 minutes from Central Park, so walking through the park is a very common occurrence for me. On my bucket list I noted that I wanted to make walking around Central Park a normal part of my life, and that's exactly what it has become. Although, it's not something I'll ever fully get used to - it will always amaze me, especially with all those autumn colours!
Grand Central Station
I just quickly dropped in here to have my Serena Van Der Woodsen moment, but it was definitely worth the trip!!
Times Square
Most people who live in New York don't rate Times Square too much - they think it's crowded and dirty and somewhat unappealing. I will admit, when I was in New York in the summer of 2018, I went more for the novelty of it. But with this year's events clearing out the majority of New York tourists, Times Square has become an enjoyable experience! I went shopping in and around Times Square with a new friend (shocking that I managed to find a friend, I know), saw the red steps and the Times Square sign, saw the pavement (which is more than I could see the last time I was there a couple years ago), and finally got my pictures!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gossip Girl made the Met steps famous, but for me it was inside the museum itself that has the real appeal. One thing you might not know about me, I am obsessed with museums. History, Science, Art, Culture, any subject at all - I'm there! I love learning about new things, I love looking at old artefacts and bringing their stories alive in my imagination. It's fascinating to me that we can preserve and learn about cultures from so many thousands of years ago. I could walk around museums for days on end (or at least for as long as my fatigued legs will carry me). I must confess, we only made it round about half of the museum in the five hours we were there, so I absolutely will be going back... probably soon... probably more than once...
The Rockefeller Centre
I googled the best views in New York and the consensus was that NYC from the Rockefeller is the best it gets. Many people consider the Empire State Building to be the best place to look out at Manhattan, but the thing about the view from the Empire State Building is that you can't see the Empire State Building! So of course it should be done at least once, but if you're looking for the views and not the bragging rights, the Rockefeller might be the way to go.
Side note: I am anxiously awaiting the famous Rockefeller Christmas Tree being lit up, which happens after Thanksgiving!! You bet I'll be back at the Rockefeller every day over the Christmas season just to see that beautiful sight!
The Edge, Hudson Yards
After the Rockefeller, I fell completely in love with NYC sunsets. So much so that four days later I went to watch another sunset on the West Side at Hudson Yards. The Edge is a new viewing platform that opened in March of this year, and then promptly closed due to covid-19. Lucky for me, the Edge is open again at reduced capacity and offers another view of New York from a different angle. It's not for the faint-hearted though. The entire platform sticks out from the skyscraper, separating you from certain death with only glass windows, that also tilt slightly outwards so you can see directly below. If you're scared of heights, maybe you should skip this one!
The High Line
I'll admit it, half the reason I wanted to do this at all was because Taylor Swift wrote the lyric "I knew you, your heartbeat on the high line, once in 20 lifetimes" in her song Cardigan so I needed to know what all the fuss was about. I was not at all disappointed. We picked a very sunny day (in fact, the day that Joe Biden was announced as the next President, so it was sunny in a few different ways that day), we walked the high line and took photos of the gardens, the streets below us, the art... it was a slice of tranquillity I wasn't expecting to find in such a big city.
Brooklyn Bridge
On my bucket list I wrote that I wanted to walk the Brooklyn bridge from one side to another, since I had halfway done this when I was in New York before. Well, I can officially say that I have walked from Manhattan to Brooklyn via the Brooklyn Bridge and let me tell you - the views are worth the ache in your feet at the other side! I also consumed an enormous amount of pizza at Grimaldi's on the riverfront in Brooklyn and rode a ferryboat back to the East Side when the pizza had been demolished. All in all, definitely worth the trip!
The Statue of Liberty
When I was in New York in the summer of 2018, I didn't get a chance to visit Lady Liberty. So on a whim, a friend and I decided to try to get a ferry to the island last weekend. Surprisingly, we were able to get straight across and, wow! Seeing the statue up close is a completely different experience and one I would highly recommend you take an hour or two to do!
My first month and a half in New York, complete.
Let me leave you with a final thought:
If you're thinking about moving somewhere new, or studying abroad, or doing anything outside of your comfort zone, I say do it! I never thought I would be the kind of girl who would pick up her life and move across the world, but taking the leap is the most difficult part. I still wake up most days and can't quite believe that this is my life now, and laugh to myself that I was so worried. You are so much more likely to regret a chance you never took, than one you did. If you have the opportunity to do something crazy and exciting, no matter how scary it might seem, take the leap!
Stay safe, be kind and live well,
Charlotte. X
Comments