A collection of observations in New York

So here I am, my first day on the job as the Office of Resident Life assistant, totally bored, yet totally excited about my job. Essentially, working from 7-9 on Tuesday and Friday nights I am getting paid to:

a) study

b) blog

c) upload pictures to Facebook

d) reply to emails

e) watch TV

f) practice (if necessary)

and finally

g) perform my job roles (if necessary), such as check out game equipment, help with lockouts, or give out cleaning supplies to students (who usually don't come on a Friday night between the hours of 7 and 9)

Perfect.

So while I'm here, I thought I could give you my list of a few quirky observations that I've come across in the two weeks that I've lived in New York and the Juilliard School.

**Please note that these are my personal opinions and by no means are thought to be 100% factual.

New York City

- Most people are quite friendly if you get to talking to them. If they don't say "Good morning" as you pass them on the running path, it does not mean that they do not wish you a good morning. The deal is...there's SO many darn people! If you tried to say good morning to them all, your mouth might fall off. Really.

-Continuing that idea, there's a lot of runners in New York. Ok, again, granted there's just a lot of people here. But there is an unusually large amount of people that you see, in the park or on the path jogging/biking, who are extremely fit and well toned. It's encouraging :)

-If you walk slow, you might as well just wear a HUGE hat on your head that says "TOURIST!"

-If you are seen in Times Square, you are probably a tourist. All locals hate the place.

-Any day of the week, you will find busy streets even into the wee hours of the morning.

- Particularly on the weekends, there are MORE people out after midnight than before.

-Dogs are EVERYWHERE. If your dog poos on the sidewalk, you will get death stares if you don't pick it up. Most likely, if you are a New Yorker, you have doggie doo bags in your purse.

-Dogs are welcome in lots of places, and for the most part are very highly trained. I've seen so many dogs wait patiently outside the store for their owner, or walk around the park unleashed and calm.

-Wearing your iPod while walking down the street, in the elevator, in the grocery store is very common.

-New York City has way more beauty than you might expect. I've seen so many beautiful things walking around and running through the city. It has been fantastic and I can't wait to see more. So don't ever tell me it's a dirty ugly city. ;)

Juilliard

-So, the elevator in the Residence Hall starts on the 11th floor and then goes 13,14,15,16...etc. Anyone else think it's strange that we don't have a 12th floor but do have a 13th floor?

-In the new part of the building where there are new signs on the bathroom doors, the little men and women "figures" on the sign don't have arms! Like for the men one it's like circle, rectangle body and two rectangle legs...but no arms...

-Each story in the school building is more like 1.5 levels and has three segments of steps inbetween each floor.

-Though I am taking into consideration the large number of steps between levels, do you REALLY need to take the elevator for one level DOWN?

-Pianists have a tendency to place their ID card in the practice room window backwards...are their pictures really that bad?

-Dancers don't walk down the hallway...they dance.

-Juilliard dancers can be quickly discerned from the School of American Ballet dancers (whom also share the Rose building dorm and cafeteria). Juilliard dancers eat. SAB dancers don't.

-If you are not a musician, don't go to the 4th floor. It's intimidating. It's just practice rooms!

-The security people are surprisingly nice :)

So, I of course I could go on. These are just a few off the top of my head. But now my shift is done, and it's time to go to Crumbs, my favorite cupcake cafe! :)

Have a great day!

Love,

Violamad