As a second semester senior, I had to make the decision of where I wanted to work and live after Amherst.
When I was applying to jobs, many people expected me to work outside of the United States. It felt like every summer, I was visiting another country and thriving in the culture there. When I worked in Hong Kong last summer, I realized that I loved the city, but it wasn’t home. It was at that moment that I realized I wanted to stay state-side and, most importantly, I wanted to move back to New York City.
I didn’t realize that this would be a shocking choice to many people. There is a stigma about going back home after college. I feel that it implies a fear of change or independence. However, despite having an international college experience, I would also argue that New York City is still foreign place to me as a 21 year old. My image of New York is that, at most, of a seventeen year old. That means that my favorite places to hang out, favorite places to eat and all of my connections are based on my high school experience. Returning to the city at age 21, gives me the opportunity to experience the nightlife, go out to bars and mingle with people who have different perspectives of New York (like my friends who are moving there from different states).
On the other hand, many people naturally assumed that I would move back home. After a long, and still on-going, discussion with my family, it was decided I would live on my own. At first, it sounded like a great idea, but the more I thought about it, the more it sounded like wishful thinking. I can’t even afford to move into my own neighborhood in Brooklyn on my own, how was I going to survive? In a nutshell, my parents decided it was part of growing up. While they would be there to support me, I did need to learn how to live within my means. That meant paying for rent, groceries and learning when and how to treat myself. As a reward, I would get the privacy to entertain my friends and the autonomy to make my own decisions when it came to my lifestyle. While I am still very nervous about living on my own, I do think it is for the best.
So, to my fellow seniors deciding where to live next semester, I would recommend choosing places that YOU see yourself thriving in. If you’re like me and know that starting a new adventure in a familiar location will help you thrive, do it. If it means jumping into a place completely foreign and perhaps starting over, then do that too. Just remember that only you can make that decision, everyone else is just there for guidance.