i was informed that i kept a few people hanging.
haha.
all worries aside,
i have made it home.
two weeks ago today. haha.
AFTER:
ten incredible weeks
twenty-three hundred miles
ninety pounds of luggage
two delayed flights
six college credits
one great internship
i am happy to say that it feels great to be back.
my experience in new york exceeded my expectations above and beyond.
i really could not have asked for a better situation.
i literally feel like a whole new person.
first things first...
what i learned
trust the process.
if you keep up with my personal blog, you might have read and saw the process it took me to get to where i ended up. there were moments where i had no idea what would happen, or where i would end up this summer. BUT seriously without a doubt, i know that new york was exactly where i needed to be this summer, working for exactly the right design firm i was suppose to be with, living in the exact location with the exact roomate i was suppose to be living with. when you're doing your part, and doing whats right, the big guy will make sure things fall into place. i firmly believe this. GO CONFIDENTLY IN THE DIRECTION OF YOUR GOALS & DREAMS.
people.
the city was QUITE the wake up call for miss smalltown burley girl. new yorkers are polar opposites from what i was use to. people don't go out of their way to say hello, or thank you for visiting their business, or tell you to have a good day. it's one man for himself, worrying about number one! however, you will come across "down to earth" people, who you seriously will come to appreciate more and more. people will treat you exactly as you treat them. i realized just how one's words and actions can affect another's mood, day, or even week. i was a little nervous to come home, because i was afraid that i had adapted to the new yorker's selfish ways, but i hope that i haven't.
don't underestimate yourself.
when i first started out on this adventure, i had no idea what i was capable of doing. i'm my own worst critic. i sold myself short, when in reality i should have been confident in the skills and abilities i have collected throughout my life and schooling. i surprised myself countless times. never in a million years, would i have guessed the number of opportunities i would be given, and have continued to recieve since being back.
comfort zones.
life begins at the end of your comfort zone. since highschool i have come LEAPS & BOUNDS, when i look back at how quiet and shy i use to be. but this summer put a whole new perspective on comfort zones. in fact, im not sure if i even have a comfort zone at the moment. that sounds a little funny, but let me explain. being in a whole new environment, work space/surroundings, atmosphere, you learn all sorts of new things. you're asked to do things you wouldn't normally feel comfortable doing, like catching a taxi, riding the subway, client meetings... the list goes on and on. i use to be terrified of trying new things, including food, and well.. lets just say, now i CANNOT WAIT TO TRY NEW THINGS.
standards & morals.
my whole life i have lived in a place where i have been surrounded by people with similar beliefs, interests, hobbies, morals, ect. this sumer however, was not the case. never, ever, have i EVER, been faced with so many people who are so different from me. thank goodness for the standards and morals i was taught to live by, otherwise, this summer, my life could have ended up in a totally different direction. the gospel has always been a strong part of my life, but this summer made me appreciate those beliefs even more. i learned that doing the right thing, can at times be inconvenient, but people will respect you for standing firm and sticking up for your beliefs. there were so many times it would have been so easy to push my standards aside, but holding true makes you a stronger individual.
work ethic.
i don't know how many times throughout my life, i have wished over and over again, that i wish i didn't have to work. wouldn't it be so easy to just go to school and play? instead of going to school and working? i am so grateful that my parents have both taught me to have a work ethic. as i entered my internship, i was prewarned by previous student interns, that they got so tired of working for free and thats why they didnt enjoy their internship. i decided from the beginning that i wasn't going to look at my situation that way. although i wasn't getting paid with money, i was getting paid with knowledge and experience i wouldn't recieve ANYWHERE else. i made a goal to show up to work everyday with a good attitude. and to keep that good attitude, despite what i was asked to do, or what tasks they asked me to perform. three weeks into my internship, KR sat me down and said how already she was so pleased with my work ethic, that she was now willing to pay for my food and transportation expenses, after seeing how hard of a worker i was. i was extremely flattered. hard work pays off.
honestly.
this post could be miles and miles long.
filled with lessons and lessons i learned and relearned.
i wouldn't trade this summer for a thing.
i am extremely grateful for
the opportunity i had to pursue my education this summer.
for the people i met.
for the things i learned.
for the people i missed.
for the lessons i learned.
for the person i became.
it was a journey.
with my work, explorations,
and a few funny stories.
i traveled with a suitcase full of outrageous blessings.
on a quest for inspiration, knowledge, beauty, and quiet joy.
i became an explorer, a designer, a writer,
an individual.
all in one BIG city summer.
thanks for following me :)
