Only four days in New York and I had more experiences than I ever bargained for. After almost being left homeless, an emergency room visit that required an IV, and some crazy Australians celebrating our nation’s birthday, I was on my way back to Chicago. That was New York in a nutshell, but it was the little things that made it an amazing trip.

For the Fourth of July I was lucky enough to spend it with friends in New York City. It worked out beautifully. I was able to see friends from all different aspects of my life. I landed in LaGuardia and felt like a kid in a candy store when I got a little too excited seeing the exit for Queens Boulevard (shoutout to my Entourage lovers). No surprise, the cab ride was somewhat nauseating but coming out of the tunnel and into the big city was exhilarating.

As we pulled up to the FIT dorms, I was greeted by my lovely friend Ally who I met abroad. We were in the same program in Aix en Provence and weren’t sure when we would meet again, so getting to see her so soon was a wonderful treat. We explored Chelsea and enjoyed lunch at the Chelsea Market. It was very similar to markets we went to in Madrid and Barcelona, but with an American take, as in everything’s bigger and everyone speaks English. With full stomachs and smiles on our faces we walked around Chelsea pier followed by the High Line. It was rather touristy, as to be expected but such a cool concept. A sign read “BEYOND THIS POINT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER NUDE SUNBATHERS,” and as much as we looked we did not come across any. And trust me, we really looked.

My friend from Hinsdale, Ashley, is also staying in the FIT dorms this summer, and I connected her and Ally early on. They hit it off and have been hanging out ever since. We went to dinner that night at a restaurant called Oovina. Delicious tapas, great company and plenty of laughter made for a perfect first day in NYC only to be followed by a crazy fun night.

Most of the friends from school come from 3 major hot spots: New York, New Jersey, or Chicago. I luckily got to visit with 3 of my friends from all of the area which was great, especially since I haven’t seen any of them since last December. It was a wonderful reunion in the Big Apple. Having yet another group of friends mixed in was even weirder but it made the night so much more fun. We took on the night and filled it with plenty of dance moves, then headed back to the dorms. With our mouths filled with pizza and a pep in our step, nothing could bring us down. That mentality was quickly changed right upon entry when it took us an hour to get me into the building. One of the building security guards (Tyrone Spence) was on an absolute power trip, and decided not to let me in. We followed all of the rules throughout the day to make sure I could get signed in, such as filling out the overnight guest form and speaking to the RAs. At one point, Tyrone said “I have the authority to let you in, and I’m not going to do it.” It was an unfortunate situation that happened way too late at night, but somehow it worked out.

The next day we were off to a great start and dined at a cute breakfast café not too far away. That was followed by a leisurely walk through Central Park and a tourist filled visit to Times Square. No matter how many times I go to Times Square, I’m still blown away by the excitement and the feeling that anything is possible.

The Fourth of July started off strong. I took the train from the city to Connecticut to see my school friends one more time before heading home. The train was much nicer than the Metra in Chicago and although it was a long ride, the comfort of the car made it go by quicker. They picked me up at the station and we headed to brunch. I have a random love for black bean burgers, and they had a breakfast version on the menu. After eating half of the sandwich my throat got a little scratchy. I was having an allergic reaction. No big deal, I thought. I had a few reactions abroad and Benadryl always does the trick. I’ll spare the details, but this was one of the worst reactions I’ve had, and I knew it was time to head to the hospital. After an hour and an IV treatment, I was back out into the world and on the train headed for the city. First stop: Shake Shack.

We got ready for our last night out, and ended up at a rooftop bar to watch the fireworks. It was surprisingly not packed, and we met a group of Australians on a Contiki tour that were decked out in American apparel. Unfortunately it began to rain so the bar had to pull out the awning, and we were no longer able to see the sky. We then made our way to the river to watch the fireworks. It was a crazy hectic day followed by a beautiful night.

I left Tuesday evening, but before that I got to have lunch with my dear friend Caroline who I met on a service trip back in high school. I hadn’t seen her in 3 years so it was lovely to catch up. We of course didn’t have enough time, but just to see her in person was a treat. I caught a cab to Newark, once again it was a nauseating ride, and looked out over the skyline as we pulled away.

With all of the shenanigans that happened, I still had a wonderful time. It was amazing to get to see so many friends in one short trip, and to experience other sides to New York. While I loved my time there, I realized that there’s only one city I will be able to call home: Chicago.