I moved to NYC 1.5 years ago and it’s been surreal to this days. But everyone makes mistakes, so sincerely here are mines: [1] Trying to do it all at once. In the rush to “make it,” I overloaded myself with school, work, and saying yes to everything I could. I thought rest was something I had to earn. (not regretting this at all but my body keeps the count 🫣) [2] Neglecting my health. Skipping meals, ignoring the gym, and living off just a coffee sometimes felt like part of the grind. Sometimes I still don’t have time for food. Will work on this. [3] Overvaluing the wrong people. I spent some time trying to fit in with someone who moved here and have more experience than I do but being with them didn’t make me feel like myself. NYC has so many people, but finding your people takes patience and time. [4] Not budgeting realistically. I underestimated how expensive it would be to live here, even as a student. I could’ve saved myself a lot of stress by tracking my spending earlier, now I prioritised savings over spendings of unnecessary expenses. Moving to NYC is a dream, but it’s also a process of figuring out what really matters. If you’re going through it too, know you’re not alone.