Living in the greatest city of the world, AKA Manhattan, was always a dream for me. I knew I wanted to move there, but I just never knew when I would have the opportunity.
When I spent Christmas of 2013 in the Big Apple, I knew I had to get there sooner than later as soon as the tears welled up while our plane took off from John F. Kennedy Airport.
Everything there seemed so magical—like I was actually on the set of my favorite classic movies. The bustling streets made me feel like I was never alone and there was always something to turn and point to that amazed me. I felt at home and I felt like all my dreams would come true in this exact location.
Fast-forward to spring of 2015—I suddenly decided one morning that I wanted to achieve my dreams even sooner than post-graduation. I started applying for dozens of internships, willing to take just about anything to get there. After a few months of destination-less interviews, I decided to apply for Elon in NYC for the fall 2015 semester.
While I knew it was against the norm to stay domestic during the fall of junior year, I knew my experience in Manhattan would be just as cultural, and even more rewarding as it could pave the path to my future.
On a sunny day in late April, I surprisingly found out I had gotten an internship offer in social media marketing at MTV for the summer. I was going to spend the last seven months of 2015 living in my dream city. I had never felt so fortunate in my entire life.
I was the only one in my friend group who had gone through with moving to Manhattan for the summer, so I definitely didn’t go out there without my fears. I had only visited the city on a few occasions and even then, I only ever knew major tourist spots of Midtown. I sure as hell didn’t know how to ride the subway.
I found a summer apartment in the East Village, which I subsequently had never in my life even heard of, and packed my bags just a short week and a half after finishing up spring semester. I spent the summer learning, exploring, making new friends and feeling like the luckiest person in the world.
Manhattan had ended up being everything I had ever dreamed of, and more. When fall semester rolled around and I met new people who were in the same position as me just a few short months ago, I was thrilled to be able to be the person who had explored enough to help others see the incredible and spectacular city.
I encourage anyone who is passionate about having a career out in Manhattan to apply for the Elon in NYC programs or to even go out on a limb like I did and move out here on your own. I’ve made so many great connections, met some of the most amazing people, ate some of the most delicious food and seen some of the most breathtaking sites. You won’t regret it, I promise. Thanks to the past months, I’ve put together a little guide for all of you girls out there who had the same dream as me and want to make the best out of your time in Manhattan.
Favorite Places to Eat:
Breakfast/Brunch
Butter Midtown
Epstein’s Bar
Sarabeth’s
Bluestone Lane
The Upsider
Jack’s Wife Freda
OatMeals
230 Fifth
Cookshop
Lunch/Dinner
Dig Inn Seasonal Market
Hale n’ Hearty
Chop’t
The Capital Grille
Lure Fishbar
Chobani Bar SOHO
Natsumi
Tony Di Napoli’s
Shake Shack in Madison Square Park
Dessert
Dominique Ansel Bakery (frozen s’mores and cookie shot)
Lady M Confections (pumpkin nuage slice)
Big Gay Ice Cream (salty pimp)
Magnolia Bakery (everything.)
Junior’s (NY cheesecake)
Favorite Bagel:
Tompkins Square Bagels
Favorite Pizza:
Rizzo’s Fine Pizza LES
Favorite Place to Grab ‘n Go:
Whole Foods in Union Square
Favorite Happy Hours/Drinks:
Two Lizards
Uptown Lounge
Arriba Arriba
Bourbon Street Bar and Grille
Sugar Factory
Room Service
Tao Uptown
Best Apps to Download:
Seamless!!!
Uber/Embark
Best Views of NYC:
Brooklyn Bridge
Battery Park City
Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge
Top of the Rock
The Highline
Best Neighborhoods For Nightlife:
East Village
Lower East Side
Meatpacking District
Favorite Spot:
Betheseda Terrace and Fountain (think Chuck and Blair get married)
Favorite Things to do on the Weekend:
Literally just getting off at a random subway stop and exploring a new area
Shopping down Fifth Avenue or down in SOHO
Night strolls through Little Italy
Favorite Broadway Shows:
Les Miserables
Wicked
Chicago
Kinky Boots
Best Places to Avoid:
Times Square
Anywhere touristy (you’ll thank me later)
Friendly Tips:
A taxi is only open if its lights are on.
Give yourself an extra 10-15 minutes for your morning train commute (and yes, the doors will close on you).
Wake up early and take the scenic route to work.
See as many shows/concerts/events as possible.
Don’t wear pants in the summer.
Try to get on the NYC Snapchat story.
Nothing is too weird anymore.
*Anyone interested in learning more about the Elon in NYC program is more than welcome to reach out to me @ nkhouri@elon.edu!