Before coming to New York City, it had been made clear to me that this city is fast, tough, and not for the faint of heart. So far, it’s just as fast-paced as I expected it to be, and trying to keep up is as equally difficult as it is invigorating. 

It’s only been a few days, but the amount I’ve learned about how to not look like an idiot in a fast city is humbling. Every day, I have experienced many moments of feeling socially incompetent, whether in a coffee shop, in interactions with strangers, or in navigating the subway turnstile. Small things like moving too slow or not knowing exactly where you’re going can make you feel pretty foolish when surrounded by people who have navigated this city for much longer than yourself - but I have found that these moments are humbling and remind me that I am only an expert in navigating a very small part of the world. 

Despite the negative connotation of the word “idiot,” which is the only one I feel appropriately describes how I feel in these moments, I am only motivated to take a step back from the things I believe to know well, and realize that the world is still full of so many small things I might not ever understand. Long story short, I’ve never been so excited to feel like such an idiot. 

Idiot Moment Count:  // Sunday: 2 // Monday: 3 // Tuesday: 6 (rip) // Wednesday: 1 (so far.)

Haley Koch // 05/09/2018