New York Anonymous

The clickety-clack of shoes hitting marble floor is a wonderfully chaotic symphony. I can imagine offering up the squeak on my Converse shoes to the cacophony of high heels, polished business oxfords, and fashionable flats inside Grand Central Station. My goal is to work odd jobs and save up $1000 for a trip to New York City - enough to pay for two $59 bus tickets, $120 for 4 nights at an AirBnB room and board, $116 for the CityPass to 6 museums or landmarks, $14 for MoMA student admission, $225 for 14 meals averaging $15 each, $120 for a Broadway musical ticket, and $387 leftover for spending money.

I wonder if I’ll have the same giddy, excited feeling I get as I operate the audio-visual board for my school’s plays as when I finally get to enjoy a real Broadway production. I can’t help but smile as I imagine the house lights dimming, the audience falling quiet, and the curtain rising silently to reveal a beautiful setting. How will it feel to visit MoMA and marvel at Adele-Bloch Bauer II painted by Gustav Klimt? I have loved Klimt’s work since I first researched him for art class in middle school. I will be able to see the shimmering gold leaf and intricate detail for which he is known. I am excited to step into adulthood with...