FRO 14 DTF

I hate New York City.
It’s romanticized and overrated. Who wants to live in a city that smells like garbage 99% of the time?

I hate New York City.
Public transportation is not useful. What’s the point of the subway if I’m going to be late to everything? And if you’re a woman, you can’t walk anywhere without being catcalled on every street.

I hate New York City.
It’s the place where I was told years ago that I probably wouldn’t survive. It’s where I developed anxiety, where I had to go through middle school and high school, which everyone knows is terrible. The worst parts of my life happened here.

I hate New York City.
It’s the source of my firsts. First steps, first words. First love. My first time on stage, my first time seeing people on stage. My first time picking up a guitar and sitting at a piano. Everything occurred in the same old place.

I hate New York City. Yet, I willingly chose to go to college here. It’s not just any city, it’s my city. I’m too in love with the romance and the memories and the talent on every corner. I don’t think I would be able to live anywhere else.