Independent on Independence Day

So plans fell through. But that is completely fine. I was originally planning on going with Jackee and another friend from class to Fifth Avenue but she ended up already having plans with her suite mates. Then I decided I would spend my day alone in my suite, watching Netflix and only going out for food. Being alone on a holiday sounds pretty sad buts it's okay. Being able to stop and slow down after how busy this whole trip has been very relaxing. But instead of staying in my suite and being antisocial, I found out that Simon was also staying on campus contacted him.

He, his friend from class Melody, and I went to lunch a really good Chinese food restaurant. After getting Starbucks, walking around and taking, we went to Melody's dorm and eventually ended up watching the pilot episode of Sherlock, due to the suggestion of Simon. After a little while more of wandering around campus, Melody and I went to dinner in the dinning hall, wandered some more, and then went with a big group of people to see the fireworks at Riverside Park.

I was able to highlight the main points of my day in a vague, short paragraph but all in all I had a really amazing day. So far I think today has been my favorite overall day of the trip. I know that up to this point I have seen some amazing schools and been to some amazing places in New York City but to be able to slow down, relax and enjoy the quiet, empty campus was just what I needed. After almost two weeks of the class and a little less than three weeks on this trip, having this one day to not have to think and not have to do anything felt amazing. In theory I could have made other plans, like gone to the beach, but hanging around a quite campus on a beautiful summer day was just too appealing. Although I didn't really do anything, I feel quite content with my decision to stay behind.

But I am also very glad I decided to contact Simon. Meeting with him and Melody made today so much less lonely. I really like Melody, she and I connect on several different levels in the sense that we share the same views on several different topics. It was also nice to hang out with Simon and to get to know him better.

I still have a week to see and do things. Tomorrow I plan to go to the Empire State Building and on Saturday I'm going to the MOMA and to see Cinderella. I hope that, before I leave, I can find trips that goes to the zoo, the Rockefeller Center, and the Statue of Liberty. I will be very upset if I leave New York without seeing the Statue of Liberty. 

For the next three days, I will be working on a project that my professor gave us. We are supposed to go to a business and talk to the people that run the business. Professor Mesznik wants us to create a business plan based on what we learn from 'chatting them [the business] up.' We have to write up a paper that is no longer than 400 words, it's not that much, about a page and a half. The most difficult part about this assignment is finding the person to talk to, figuring out what I'm going to ask, and actually talking to them. Or, I could go back to being antisocial (not really) and sit a bus stop and analyze the actual bus patterns versus the schedule (one example).

I know there has been some discussion about my sleeping patters because I have been posting my blogs to late, well rather early. This blog will end up being posted a little after 5 AM. I want to assure all of the readers that I am not awake this entire time. Starting a blog, getting really sleepy, and telling yourself you are going to lay down only for fifteen minutes (with an alarm) doesn't work. Those fifteen minutes turn into five, in this case six, hours. I realize that even this is unhealthy and my goal for the rest of this trip is to have my blogs posted no later than 1 AM.