A few weeks ago I moved to Chicago and on the day of my flight, I was feeling a touch emotional. And by a touch emotional I mean I put on Sing by the Carpenters and shamelessly cried in front of hundreds of strangers in Newark Liberty International Airport. Honestly, it was a good cry and I feel good about it. I’m just glad the crying stopped by the time I got to Chicago.

This move was a big deal for me. Even though I had been planning it for a little over a year and I felt confident in my decision, there is just no way to avoid nerves during a major change like this one. So I just let myself feel my feelings and it helped. I started to feel better during the flight, that is until I opened by backpack to discover my water bottle had leaked all over my laptop, passport, and wallet. For a moment I thought I might cry again because:

A. I had only just started to de-stress

and

B. I was really thirsty and it didn’t seem like the beverage service would start anytime soon

I didn’t cry, but I also think I was too dehydrated to produce tears #LivinThatLucilleBluthLife. The rest of my flight consisted of me attempting to dry my passport and laptop case by hanging them on my arm rest and praying my new laptop wasn’t fried. Quick update: my laptop still works, thank god.

Water spill aside, my flight was pretty uneventful and I landed safe and sound at O’Hare. Even though I was able to get myself into a better headspace, what really helped rid me of my nerves was seeing my roommates. They were so welcoming to me, it made me feel instantly at home. Not to mention our apartment is a New Yorker’s pipe dream. I went from a tiny studio apartment in New York to a spacious three-bedroom with air conditioning, a washer and dryer, and a balcony. It was like when Harry Potter moved from the cupboard under the stairs to Dudley Dursley’s extra bedroom.

I feel like a new person in a new world here. I like Vodka again, lifting a seven year ban after a bad experience involving funyuns and what was probably just too much Vodka. (I blamed it on the funyuns for too long. But to be clear, I still don’t like funyuns). I’m listening to more youthful music and now know who Dua Lipa is. I had deep dish pizza and enjoyed it as much as New York pizza. P.S. now that I am states away, I’m just going to say the best pizza I’ve had on the east coast is in Jersey not New York #SorryNotSorry. Same goes for breakfast sandwiches QUICK SHOUT OUT TO CHESTER BAGEL, LOVE YOU BABE.

Basically, I’m feeling grateful. I was pretty much terrified to take this risk, but I did it anyway. I just knew I had to. And so far, it’s working out really well. I get to live with two of the kindest and funniest people and everyone else I have met has been so open and warm. Having only ever lived in New Jersey or New York, moving this far was intimidating. And while I do miss New Jersey and New York, I know that I am supposed to be here in Chicago. So I choose to see this as an adventure. I have no idea where I will end up, but I am happy to be here now.