Time to Stand Alone
The advertisement by
Jet Blue listed $49 each way from Chicago to New York for several dates in
February. I almost fell off the Blue Line "L" platform because it seemed too good to be
true. I rushed to my desk at work to tell my friends that this was it-the NY trip- and we couldn’t
pass it up. I waited for the excitement level to match mine. It never did. I
was deflated and confused. Didn’t they understand? This is a round trip flight to NYC for a $100!!! Unfortunately, it was a bad time for everyone
else. Or in hindsight maybe no one was as fixated on New York as I was. I was so disappointed. I had been
thinking so much of New York especially after becoming obsessed with Sex and
The City. And, of course, I love fashion and wanted to see the stylish New
Yorkers up close and personal. Well, after much internal agonizing and talking my co-workers ears off about it, I made a decision. I was going to New York alone. This was a big
deal for me at the time. I tended to
base all my decisions around the opinions and support of my friends. Everything seemed to be less interesting, exciting, or important if they weren’t involved. Yet, I just couldn’t get pass the nagging
feeling that I needed to take advantage of this chance to go to Manhattan.
NYC On the Cheap
I went to Border’s and bought a book, Frommers: New York on $99 A
Day. Through Frommer's I learned that going to New York between January and February was a great way
to save money on hotels. Sure, it was going to be cold as you know what, but I
was a single girl working on a private college salary and I needed all the
savings I could get. Plus, I’m from Chicago and figured that I could withstand
the cold with the right tools. By tools I mean thermal underwear, tights, and
my trusty Timberland boots. I perused
the book to get dining recommendations and learn about the best places to shop.
After booking my flight I found a deal for a boutique hotel in
the Theatre district through Expedia.com. I chose the hotel based on the price
and its’ proximity to a few major attractions. I knew I didn’t want to have to
spend a ton of money on taxis. So,
I was definitely hoping to walk most of the time. I also purchased a voucher
for a shuttle to and from my hotel. Finally, I went
online and booked the Sex and The City tour (an obvious necessity) and a shopping tour of the garment
district. My
entire four day trip came to a little
over $550 with tours included.
Making a Safety Plan
While everyone seemed a little surprised I was taking the
leap to go alone, they were also worried about how I would stay alive on the “mean”
NY streets particularly my Uncle Keith. He said I needed to be careful because
it would be like an episode of Law & Order “where the last footage they will have of is of you getting on the elevator.” He was adamant that I stay in
Manhattan and not venture into the boroughs. I also figured that I would only
wander the streets until no later than 9:30 or so. I told my friend Melody and my aunt to expect
a text from me every night by 10p.m. and if they didn’t receive it to call the
police. I was NOT kidding.
The plan was set. Everything was in motion and there was no
turning back (I mean really no turning back because nothing was
refundable). I was about to head to New
York city and I was doing it alone. I was so excited, but not just about the
trip; it was liberating to do something just for me and not to base it around
other people. This trip was a big step
forward for me.
Stay tuned for more about my NYC trip.
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