How Did I Get Here? Part Two

You read correctly... I moved to New York City. If you're ever unsure of what to do with your life, move to NYC. It only confirms you don't know what you're doing.

Some family friends of ours needed a house sitter for the month of July and invited me to live in their two story apartment on the Upper West Side FOR FREE.

While in NYC, I visited a lot of free museums, ate many $1 pizza slices, and tried to figured out what the heck I was doing with my life. Miss Ohio was really fun but it put off some serious conversations I needed to have with myself.

Both my degrees were in performance so I attended mannnnnyyyyyyy auditions. I had some success with a few callbacks and got my name out there, but ultimately the summer season is super slow so not much happened other than gaining "audition experience."

I babysat a real New Yorker for a few weeks. I think he got really annoyed with me when I asked him things like "have you seen a backyard? do you know what it's like to ride in a car?" This idea of being raised in New York City boggled me. The fact that this 7 year old could ride the subway more confidently than I boggled me too.

I learned money goes REALLLLLLYYYY quickly even if you are only eating $1 pizza slices.

New York is crowded and busy, but it's not as intimidating as you think. I let myself believe it was worse than it was because I was scared.

The month I was there seemed like it lasted forever, but I learned a lot. The most important thing I learned was that I do not care to live in New York City unless I have enough money to live like Serena Van Der Woodsen.

MET rooftop

Times Square

Times Square

Blacktap Instagram Worthy Milkshakes

Once I was back home, I had approximately 7 hours of relaxation before I began preparing for MY JOB. Yes, my job! A position I had accepted back in February for when I graduated from college. My original start date was May but because of Miss Ohio I had renegotiated my contract to begin in August. After a busy turn around I packed my things in my dad's little Honda Civic and drove to ..... AMANA, IOWA! Random, I know.

Child of the Corn

The job I accepted was an Actor's Equity contract at The Old Creamery Theatre playing Wendy Jo in Footloose. I was really excited to begin this opportunity especially because the song "Footloose" launched my first career.*

Amana was amazing. I lived with the whole cast in a giant house, worked odd long hours (10am-10pm) in addition to doing 2 shows, and had a ball. The whole run of the show ended the same weekend as Oktoberfest. Given Amana's strong German roots, it felt like I was in Germany doing the polka with some of my closest friends. What a great way to end another amazing adventure.

After this short contract, I moved home and this is when things got real...... (look out for part 3 tomorrow!)

*I was in a Christian pop group called pureNRG and our biggest song was "Footloose!" Check it out on Spotify