Month: September 2018

It’s been almost a month since I touched down in New York.

I packed up three suitcases and a backpack and said peace out Cali. It still feels surreal. As a little girl I always dreamed of moving to New York, even though I had never even been. My first time in the Big Apple was last year when I took the bus from D.C. I had absolutely no idea that I would be starting my career here.

It hasn’t been easy.

Applying for jobs was exhausting but I never lost hope. I was applying for jobs in LA, Atlanta, New York, and D.C. I was nonchalant about the positions, they ranged from full-time to part-time and I was open to being a producer, MMJ, editor, social media producer, intern, administrative assistant and even a receptionist. I wanted experience with a network whether it was news or entertainment. One after another the cover letters filled my laptop’s storage, but I wasn’t having any luck.

Finally I got an email from CBS about the Page position I applied for. I was excited finally I got a result from all the applications I was putting in the past few weeks. It was an online interview and a few days after that I got another email asking to schedule my next interview. I assumed it would also be online, but when I confirmed the date for the following week the location said New York. My heart sank! How could I possibly get to New York in week? I’ve never even flown to New York in my life, let alone from LAX. I didn’t sleep for at least three days overthinking it all and worrying about money. I reached out to ask if the company would help me get there and asked my professor what he knew but it was all a dead end. It was all up to me. 

I couldn’t pass up the opportunity and I did have the funds saved up so I took the risk. I got the plane ticket at the last minute only because I couldn’t tell you how many times these questions roamed through my mind:

What if I don’t get it?

Am I going to leave my family?

How am I going to pay for it?

Who is going to interview me?

What are they going to ask me?

Do I really want to be a journalist?

How is the snow going to be?

Where would I live?

How would I do this?

Can I survive out there?

Is this for me?

When I finally made it to the interview I felt great but I can’t lie. Of course I was nervous. I thought what if I said this different or did my hair different… the what ifs were never ending but I  “let go and let God”.

I kept applying for jobs in the meantime and figured I should go to NABJ to secure something just in case. I heard back the week of NABJ and was ecstatic and scared. They wanted me to get there in three weeks, but I had absolutely no money after NABJ.

I had no idea what to do but I figured I could take out a loan like everyone else but the banks and quick loan businesses rejected me faster than a girl getting cat called on the street by a not so handsome dude. Can you imagine how fast that is? Well if not I don’t know what else to compare it to. I thought about the trolls who made Kylie Jenner a GoFundMe like she actually needed it and how she still got money. So at this point it wouldn’t hurt. I created it and couldn’t believe I actually made more than $1200. I still cannot thank my family and friends enough for supporting me and my dream.

I flew out the next week and thank god this dude helped me pick up two of my suitcases to take up the stairs of the subway. Welcome to New York where the subway is blazing hot in the summer, the streets are gross and the bare minimum is just enough. I had found a perfect furnished little place in with roommates in Brooklyn. It didn’t have a washer or dryer but one of the roommates seemed cool via FaceTime and text. Also the $700 rent fit my budget perfectly. I started work Aug. 20th and was set to see the place on the 24th and move in on Sept. 1st. In the meantime I was at an Airbnb and sleeping on my friend’s couch I was a transient couch potato for about two weeks until my move-in date.

My first week of work was great. I was just so happy to be here and start my new life, but soon I learned that my position as a Page wouldn’t be enough to enjoy life. I was determined to get a second job in order to afford the costs of New York City living. I applied every night and got interviews quick! I set a goal to have a second job by the time of my birthday. Everything was going great, then the day before I was supposed to go see my new place the roommate text me saying her other roommates found someone else to take the room I was going to move into and that she already put the deposit down.

I was heartbroken. Back to square one looking for a place.

My friend was ready for me to get off of her couch but now I had absolutely nowhere to go. I planned to get an Airbnb, until I figured it out. Then I saw my friend had just moved into an apartment in Harlem on Instagram so I asked her about her place and she invited me to check the place out. They had an extra room for $875. I felt comfortable because I knew her, the deposit was only $500, the owner furnished the room and my commute would be 30 mins away to work.

I looked at a few more places but couldn’t afford them and didn’t feel comfortable so I moved into this four bedroom, one bathroom Harlem apartment.  The owner was also nice to let me sleep on the couch until my lease started and room furniture arrived. The search for my second job continued from one couch to the next and the interviews kept coming. It’s been about a week since I’ve been in my room and although it is very small it’s very comfortable and it’s all my own. (Wouldn’t be possible without my loving community.)

As my birthday approaches, I’m excited to have both of my college best friends here in the city starting their journeys too. Also I met my goal of getting a second job before my birthday and I’m pleased to say I start work at Trader Joe’s on Monday. I’m so excited to meet new people, learn the culture of NY and get that discount on my groceries.

I know this was a long blog post but I really wanted to update you all on my life and thank everyone again so much for supporting me and believing in me. I am so blessed to turn 22 and live this amazing life. I’m extremely grateful for everyone’s kind words and wishes. My future’s so bright, it makes me so happy but I know it’s not going to be easy and that I still have so much more to learn and experience.

Thank you and love always,

LTD