By Sarah Duncan (VP+C Summer ’17 Intern)

A common dream among millennials involves traveling to far away cities and experiencing things that many only dream of. So what happens when you’re given the chance?

I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to intern in New York City with VP+C this summer and knew immediately that I could not let a second go to waste. The concept of a New York minute is real. They move at a different speed than the rest of the world; making it easy to allow a moment to pass without a second glance. Instinctively I knew that to make every moment count I would have to change my routine in more ways than one.

Here’s what I learned about cherishing every second:

Brooklyn Bridge

Wake Up Early
Weekday or not, get out of bed. Grab a cup of coffee and get going. You can sleep anywhere. Arrive to work early each day and watch the sunrise from the Brooklyn Bridge at least once. 5:30 AM isn’t so bad when you have the bridge completely to yourself.

Lorimer Subway Stop. (Photo Credit: RestlessRebecca.com)

Take the Subway
Ditch Uber unless absolutely necessary. Learn to love those trains. Your wallet will thank you.

Image via VP+C

Get To Know Your Coworkers
For better or for worse, the majority of your time will be spent at work. Your coworkers are people too, and often times want to help you out with either advice about the area or guidance regarding work. Listen to them. If you’re lucky like me, your team will become your family.

Yankee Stadium

Venture Out of Manhattan
New York City has so much to offer. Take a day trip to Williamsburg, Brooklyn for a variety of local eats at Smorgasburg or The Bronx for a Yankees game. Believe it or not, the subways will take you there and almost everywhere else.

Coney Island Boardwalk

Photograph Everything
Take pictures everywhere, regardless of how inconvenient it may be, or whether or not you feel “photo ready.” Written thought allows you to capture your feelings, but a picture paints a thousand words.

View of the Chrysler Building

Take Notice
Listen closer, take every moment in, and pay attention to what is going on around you. Note conversations that make you think, an inspiring article, maybe even something you see on the streets. The eclectic environment demands it.

Bay views of the Statue of Liberty and Staten Island Ferry

Cherish the Small Things
Sometimes the little details make the biggest difference. Pay attention to things like background music, how bright the sun is shining, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee in that one coffee shop that you will undoubtedly fall in love with.

Journaling with a mimosa… of course! 🙂

Document Everything
Take bullet point notes throughout the day about each moment that captures your attention. If you’re feeling inspired, use those bullet points to write about each day in a notebook. Even if you don’t document every day, you at least have a reminder for later on.

I’ll tell you what happens when you’re given the opportunity to take on a dream – you jump. You fly. You do whatever it takes to make the possibility a reality and when it does, cherish every second. Blink and you’ll miss it.

THANK YOU, NEW YORK! (Chainsmokers Concert at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens)