This summer I got to spend six-weeks living in the heart of Manhattan. After working a 9-5 consisting of research analysis, readings and discussions, workshops, presentations, and so much more.
I had heard about the SHARE-CSD program while attending a regular monthly meeting at our campus’ NSSLHA club for Speech Pathology and Audiology majors. I applied to the program and tried to put it out of mind instead of anxiously waiting for the acceptance or rejection email to arrive.
Luckily, it all worked out.
I cannot speak enough about the guidance I received when learning how to conduct research and present it! Not to mention all the amazing things I got to witness in real-time from the professionals at the NYU Swallowing Lab and Voice Center. But, I had no idea going in that I would have such a rich experience outside of my 9-5.
Unlike most of the interns in my cohort I only live an hour away from Manhattan, but I can count on one hand the amount of times I have visited. Since I grew up in the suburbs I was always intimidated by the city and thought it would be too chaotic for me. To my surprise, I was dreading leaving and saying goodbye to the friends I had made during this experience.
Manhattan has so much to offer and it’s almost impossible to be bored. During our first week of the program, there was a Japanese Street Festival happening right outside where we were staying. There were several stands that had so many cool treats, desserts, and drinks. I finally got to try tanghulu, a fruit dessert served on a stick that is covered in hardened sugar glass, along with freshly made matcha ice cream, fresh steamed dumplings and souffle pancakes. Past the food vendors were jewelry, clothing and perfume stands that you could spend hours searching through.Â
There were so many different coffee or tea shops and bakeries to try within a 10 minute radius of the dorms. One of my favorite spots was the Cha Cha Matcha where I got to try an iced chai matcha latte. Hands down the best iced latte I have ever had! If you are looking for some authentic chai places try the Chai Spot, where you can order a drink when you walk and then head to the back, take off your shoes and hang out in the comfy and colorfully decorated lounge. Another chai place was Kolkata Chai Co. They aren’t just known for their authentic tasting chai (iced or hot) but they also serve oat milk chai soft serve ice cream!
Now some of these places we walked to, but as any person living in the city, we had to learn to use the subways. I was very lucky to have friends who have an amazing sense of direction (unlike myself) at my side because the subway system is something that takes time to learn. I had been using google maps to look for different subway routes and times, but I was given the tip to use the official MTA app. The app would usually give you the easiest route (a one stop subway ride is always the best) that google maps would neglect to tell you. Once finding which subway to take from the MTA then I’d use google maps to get to the right subway entrance.Â
One of the first subway trips I took was to visit Times Out Market in Brooklyn, a rooftop bar with a variety of restaurants overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge. The view was honestly breathtaking and such a great place to take photos.Â
Brooklyn soon became one of my favorite places, because I finally fulfilled my dream of going to a cat cafe. Brooklyn Cat Cafe is the cutest cozy lounge area full of cats roaming all around for you to pet and play with. Right down the street from the cafe was an indie bookstore called Books Are Magic. I’d have to say though, my favorite bookstore was The Strand! As someone who loves the series Dash & Lily, a YA romance about two teens who anonymously pass back a book of dares to one another, being in the exact bookstore where they shot the tv show was surreal.Â
We were also just a subway stop away from Chinatown where my friends and I got to indulge in $4 dumplings and try boba tea from Chi Cha San Chen, where we got to sit in on a ceremonial tea tasting for free (because the people who had signed up didn’t show up!).Â
If you’re planning on heading to NYC anytime soon I recommend downloading the S’more app or Eventbrite, which is where I found about so many cool (and free) events happening near me! NYC is obviously known for their nightlife so these apps are great way to find upcoming events. Some of my favorite events I found were free entry underground comedy shows (usually with a two drink minimum) and a free silent disco at Lincoln Center.Â
When looking for your next internship I highly recommend taking a chance on opportunities that you may feel are out of your reach due to self doubt. I got to meet some amazing people from across the country, gained more confidence, and even figured out that I’d love to go to school, work or even live in a place like NYC. There are so many unexpected and wonderful things that can happen when putting yourself out there.