settling into nyc

celebrating my seven months in brooklyn + other musings

at the end of february, i packed all of my belongings in boston and moved to brooklyn. it’s been an incredible seven months that have flown by, and i’m currently experiencing my first fall as a nyc resident (after a pretty incredible summer). after reading the *lovely* big friendship: how we keep each other close by aminatou sow and ann friedman, i felt immensely grateful for getting to live a short walking distance/bus ride to my friends.

i’ve lived in florida for my entire life, so moving to boston was a huge change, especially once you factor in the regional differences. from august to february, i spent seven months in boston, and it didn’t entirely feel like home. having the majority of my dad’s side there felt comforting, but it didn’t give me the same feeling that florida produces. new york is beginning to feel like home.

calling a new place home is challenging, uncomfortable, weird, yet thrilling? i’m homesick quite often for the florida beaches (the warm water…talking to you atlantic ocean), abundance of nature, my loved ones, and the lingering memories in my college town and hometown. but brooklyn is slowly being associated with a snug, cozy feeling.

i’m in my twenties and laying roots in a completely new area, so of course, the aforementioned feelings come and go, but it feels like an exciting new chapter.

over the span of the last few months, i’ve been asked two questions pretty frequently:

“how was the beyonce show in london?”

more on that in another travel diary-esque newsletter, but here’s my outfit for the show:

no one asked, but i also saw her in st. louis…i am a two-time renaissance world tour truther!!

“are you enjoying new york?”

in the last seven months, i’ve attended a bunch of concerts, thoroughly enjoyed the city’s vegan scene, dj’d at six spots around brooklyn, went to my first everyday ppl, attended a ballet and two broadway shows, and relaxed in at least five different parks.

for the final three months of 2023 and beginning of 2024, i’m creating new goals for exploring and roaming around new york that includes blossoming friendships with folks i’ve been meaning to link up with, using my culture pass to visit more museums/gardens, and a few other things:

• adventure to new york’s border states, new england, and canada

• host more video game nights because super mario bros is way too fun to be playing alone

• learn to play chess

• visit the local community gardens

• join/start a group to play dungeons and dragons

---

disclaimer: in the few months that i stepped away from my substack, i unfortunately lost track of time and haven’t continued my monthly icymi series. we had a good, short-lived run! in case you’re looking for more pop culture news updates, phil lewis and patrice peck run great newsletters that cover similar topics.