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SBU | Life > Experiences

The Trip I Didn’t Plan For

Gabby Mancuso Student Contributor, St. Bonaventure University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Last month, I wrote about trying to shift my mindset, from needing everything to go exactly as planned to being more open-minded when things don’t. Honestly, I didn’t expect it to stick. Usually, I have one small success and then slip right back into my old ways. But this time was different.

This past Saturday, I went on a school trip to New York City, a day of exploring the city for $45, something I look forward to every year. I had planned to go with a friend, but life had other plans, and she ended up not being able to go. With the non-refundable fee already paid, I had two choices: go alone or stay home and eat the money.

I almost didn’t go. Solo traveling has always been an easy thing for me, but 12 hours alone in NYC felt a bit more daunting than flying to Florida alone. When I got an email from the head of the campus activities board about another girl going alone and looking for someone to join her, I said yes before I had the chance to overthink it.

For someone with crippling social anxiety, agreeing to spend the day with a complete stranger was terrifying, but the prospect of agreeing to this one simple thing made me proud of myself for branching out.

The two of us got in contact and started chatting about possible things we could do, to which she gave me complete control over (score for a chronic planner). As the week continued, our plan for the day started to come together, eventually gaining a third person for our little group when I was put in contact with another girl traveling alone.

Even though the three of us had basically all met that day, we ended up having an incredible experience. Starting in Brooklyn, we spent the day making our way up the island. Along the way, we hit up a super cool vintage flea market, walked the Brooklyn Bridge, visited the famous Chelsea Market, walked along the Highline, saw the fall foliage in Central Park, shopped along Fifth Avenue, stopped by Times Square, before ending the night at the Bryant Park Christmas Village.

Plus, we had a pretty interesting subway experience as we tried to navigate it (we weren’t very successful half the time). We may have been dead on our feet by the end of the night, but I like to consider that a sign of a day well spent. 

I like to tell myself that everything happens for a reason. Even though I was initially super bummed I wasn’t able to go with my friend as we originally planned, I gained two new ones from this experience, along with an abundance of shared memories.

It reminded me that sometimes, the best moments come from the plans that fall apart, and that being open to the unexpected can lead to something even better than what I originally imagined.

Gabby Mancuso

SBU '27

Gabby Mancuso is a junior early and inclusive childhood education major with a minor in english at St. Bonaventure University. She is from Hamburg, New York, and this is her first semester writing for Her Campus. She plans to write about pop culture, lifestyle, music, and feminism among other things.

Outside of Her Campus, Gabby is part of the Bonaventure Education Association, Kappa Delta Pi, and College Democrats. She is also very involved at the schools art center, where she currently works.


In her free time, Gabby enjoys spending time with her friends and family, starbucks runs, late night drives, listening to music, and reading. She is a huge fan of the Buffalo Bills and loves to travel. Her favorite musicians include Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Billy Joel, Harry Styles, Abba, and Gracie Abrams. She is also a major Gleek.