Long Daily Grind
During my internship search, it was increasingly difficult to find a location that provided an easy commute from my house in central, New Jersey. I knew that I would probably have to commute into New York City, and the idea of that was extremely stressful. The length of commute time and the sheer cost of commuting is ridiculous. My internship runs from 9AM-6PM, and in order to get into Manhattan for 9AM, I need to be at the bus by 6:15AM. When I get out of work, I don’t usually make it home until 7:30PM, the earliest. These long days prove to be extremely exhausting and a real daily grind, and I really wonder how some people on my bus have been doing this for 15+ years. This aspect was a major adjustment that I needed to get used to.
Additionally, going into my internship, I really disliked New York City, as it was very busy all the time, congested, and a new place for me. I grew up in rural New Jersey, with farmland and beautiful country surrounding me, so I am the furthest thing from being accustomed to the city. The idea of taking public transportation and being in the bustling city was overwhelming, but I knew that it would a great experience and I would learn a lot from it.
Now, almost two weeks into my internship, I am starting to get a little more used to the grind of the daily commute, which is good. Doing this for fifteen years, I’m not too sure about, but I know I can handle it for the duration of my internship and as with everything, it will be a great learning experience.