Two Days Wrapped in One

Due to the unfortunate lack of internet in the Wolcott there was no blogging being done yesterday. That means I must combine two days into one blog. Lets go.

Yesterday we went to the Big Apple. It was my first time in the city and I was in awe. There is no place like it. From the tall buildings all around to the rush of people, I have never been in an environment with the same hustle and bustle.

To get to New York we took the train from Philly. We rode on Amtrak, taking the long ride. The length was that of a short plane flight, however, the similarities ended there. Train travel is a different experience. Although BART comes close, it’s not the same. We arrived in Penn station (confusingly not part of UPenn) and we walked through New York. Towing overweight luggage is a hard task in the hectic city of NY. I even have the blisters on my hands to show it.

From the Wolcott we took the subway to Columbia University. The best moment was when a full cohort of five to eight year olds came on with their teacher. They were adept New Yorkers and rushed on, knew the right station to get off at, and rushed out. I was slightly jealous of their ease.

Once we arrived at Columbia I was unsure of my feelings. The campus was beautiful but I didn’t feel like I was in the city. The info session didn’t catch my interest and the tour was focused mostly on humanities. However, as soon as we reached one of the classic libraries at Columbia, my views began to shift. The personal meeting with our admissions officer David only helped elevate Columbia in my mind. He answered all of my very specific Engineering questions and shared in depth about the Columbian philosophy. I went from being unsure of its connection with me to positive that the environment was perfectly in sync with my style. I can’t wait to apply.

After the amazing meeting with David we went to dinner at another fabulous restaurant. The New York cheesecake was to die for; even our native New Yorker, Ms. Kronenburg, agreed.

From there we went on the most amazing experience so far! Our exploration of NYC only lasted one night but hit all the important landmarks in our area. The lights of Times Square left me awestruck and the view off the top of the Empire State Building is something everyone should see in their lifetime. I immediately fell in love with the city and didn’t want to leave! I would love to live there. Columbia could be my way to do that.

Today we took the train from the beloved Big Apple that I will miss dearly. We had a slight separation once on the train because of spacing issues. Henry, Connor, Mr. Miranda, and I ended up being moved to first class because of spacing issues. The chairs were a dream.

Once in New Haven we got ready to immediately head to Yale, no time for lunch. Throughout the info session Brandon and I could smell the sandwiches we ordered. It was slightly torturous. However, that made the sandwiches all the tastier when we finally did eat.

Due to the timing of everything we got a few hours to relax and decompress in our hotel rooms. After a night out on the town in the city that never sleeps it was nice to have the chance to relax.

Tonight we were fortunate enough to dine with Dr. Luong once again. We had a lovely meal followed by one of the most delicious chocolate mousses I have ever tasted!

Columbia and UPenn are at the top of my list so far. We’ll see if that changes after our Dartmouth trip tomorrow.