New York City, to me, is a place filled with opportunity and wonder, but surprisingly, I didn't always feel this way. When I first visited the city back when I was in seventh grade, I did not want to go in the first place. My family and I were going to leave on Christmas day, and being from Miami, Fl, I was not used to weather below maybe 65 degrees. I had to wear 3 layers of clothing to keep myself warm, and my sister and I would have contests testing how long we could resist the cold before wanting to run into a warm room. I was snuck into hidden pathways and rooms in China Town only to discover multiple fake Prada and Chanel Bags. At the end of this trip, I could say I had a good time, but it was not a place I longed to return to.
Over time and as I discovered that I wanted to become a journalist, I found myself longing for a place that is different from my warm home town. I wanted to live in a place that is constantly filled with drama and excitement, and that would serve as a canvas free for artistic expression. New York City is that place for me. Manhattan reminds me of the island of Neverland, a magical place from the novel Peter Pan. Large sky scrapers replace the tall, plunging mountains. The city's lights are like stars, guiding everyone's path as they're on their way to do something exciting. The mermaid lagoons and pirate filled oceans serve as the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean. I'd like to think that I'm Peter Pan, and Manhattan is my island. I am free to roam around encountering new and distinct creatures. I have the ability to go on adventures and form memories that never fade.
I go back to New York tomorrow with my class to attend classes at Columbia University. I return to not only my home, but my beacon of hope that one day I will become successful, and that one day I will reside with the strongest, smartest, and most creative people in all the country. It gives me strength to believe that one day I will live in the city of champions: the people who know they've made it. I go back to Neverland.
Over time and as I discovered that I wanted to become a journalist, I found myself longing for a place that is different from my warm home town. I wanted to live in a place that is constantly filled with drama and excitement, and that would serve as a canvas free for artistic expression. New York City is that place for me. Manhattan reminds me of the island of Neverland, a magical place from the novel Peter Pan. Large sky scrapers replace the tall, plunging mountains. The city's lights are like stars, guiding everyone's path as they're on their way to do something exciting. The mermaid lagoons and pirate filled oceans serve as the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean. I'd like to think that I'm Peter Pan, and Manhattan is my island. I am free to roam around encountering new and distinct creatures. I have the ability to go on adventures and form memories that never fade.
I go back to New York tomorrow with my class to attend classes at Columbia University. I return to not only my home, but my beacon of hope that one day I will become successful, and that one day I will reside with the strongest, smartest, and most creative people in all the country. It gives me strength to believe that one day I will live in the city of champions: the people who know they've made it. I go back to Neverland.