One Month in NYC

So I've been living in NYC for a little over a month now, and well...it's actually pretty lonely.

I initially thought it would be alright because I'm closer to people I knew before I left, but I haven't had the time to reach out and do things with anyone. In between working longer hours, the added time for my commute, and working out, I feel like I should spend any free time with Mr. Baby. 

Also, it's just not the same. Once you leave for an extended period of time, you can never really go back to the way things were. They've all done things together excluding me, and they have their own stories and experiences that I just haven't taken any part in. It's hard to interject in that setting. On the other side of that, I've grown into a different person than they remember, and I don't think I would really jive with them as much as I used to.

It's not like work really helps this either. It's generally just not common to hang out with coworkers. Also, everyone has a spouse or significant other to go back to. Back in Cleveland, my best friends were my coworkers, who were all around my age. I'm not going to get that luxury here I guess. But having said that, I do like my coworkers; they're all funny and I generally enjoy being around them. 

So I guess it comes down to making new friends on my own somehow. 

I thought that maybe cars could be my ticket to this, but I'm selling mine, and likely not buying one for a very long time. My priorities and interests have shifted to buying multifamily properties to generate extra cash flow, and the math works out to be really favorable in New York City. My uncle does this, and from talking to him, I think it's time I build a rental portfolio. 

While it is slightly lonely outside of work, the new job is absolutely incredible, and I love every second of it. I work closely with a top industry analyst, and it's a miracle that he's probably one of the nicest guys I've ever met. This doesn't usually happen with Wall Street, but I had a good feeling about him when he flew me into NYC to meet everyone. He's been very vocal about my impact already to the Director of Research, and that is very flattering. I am constantly challenged to push the boundaries of my intellect, and am learning so much by doing so. I feel really positively about my career being here, and hope that I can achieve the dreams I set out for myself in the next couple of years.

In the grand scheme of things, I think it might be a short term sacrifice to focus on my career than focus on making friends, but there still needs to be some type of balance. So maybe to not go crazy from work, I should travel far and wide, and try to experience as many different things as I can by myself. I remember climbing up the mountains in Colorado and feeling really recharged, with a renewed outlook on things. I think it's time for another trip - Banff has been calling my name for some time, so I'm probably making that my next destination, and then maybe St. Lucia at the end of the year. Or Europe if I can swing that somehow. 

Feeling lonely in NYC - I'm definitely not the first and won't be the last. But really, feeling lonely is a choice, and I've been in this situation before. All those other times I did okay, so I think I'll be fine once I get more into the swing of things. And when the weather warms up, I'll be able to do some more exploring as well. Should bode well for my photography at least!