In my 20 years of life, I have never stepped foot on the east coast of this country let alone New York. The big concrete jungle both scares and excites me. Before I step foot into the city I have 10 presumptions that NY is….

1. A land where water either costs $5 or $15 if its filtered and imported from heaven.
2. Where the rats carry around canes and sing Sinatra tunes.
3. A place where smiles don’t exist.
4. Where I’ll hear Alicia Keys belting “New York,” as I get off the plane while Jay Z raps along.
5. The birthplace of culture and tradition.
6. A place where I’ll stick out like a sore thumb with my hand-me-down baseball cap and old navy jeans when  juxtaposed alongside all that Prada, Gucci and Louis V.
7. Where the people are motivated by inspiration.
8. Where I’ll get lost and chased throughout the city like Kevin McCallister.
9. A place where the foods are from vibrant cultures that will cause the taste buds on my tongue to salivate immensely, firing my brain cells, triggering my body to explode into a jitter.
10. The focal point of cultural revolution but also tradition.

Are these the city’s stereotypes or actual reputation? We’ll have to find out. 

David Choe

05.01.2017

• #uonyc2017
• #uocreativestrat