Post 16. First Week in NYC

The Start to Summer 2025

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the start to the summer! I just moved into NYC for the summer a few days ago and have been loving the experience. It’s hard to describe how different it feels walking on the street here versus Philadelphia. I’m staying on the NYU campus right beside Washington Square Park, and it’s been great.

I’ve been able to catch up with many friends from high school and am living with a few friends from Penn, which has made the whole move feel easy.

With only a few days before I start my internship, I’ve also been trying to explore the area as much as I can. Two highlights have been running on the piers by the Hudson River and eating at Malatesta Trattoria with my friend Tarak.

While I’m loving the city, I’ve also been reflecting on the pace at which things are moving for me. I just wrapped up sophomore year, and with plans to study abroad in Barcelona this upcoming spring, it’s starting to hit me that college is already halfway over. On top of that, I recently watched my sister, Madison, graduate from Wake Forest (Congrats!).

Amid this reflection, I’ve really gained a clearer vision of the mindset I want to embody. A few themes keep coming up:

• I want to be a sponge, soaking up every bit of knowledge I can around me. It is such a blessing to have these learning opportunities around me, and I need to appreciate and absorb them.

• I want to focus on controlling the controllables. I let my mind wander far too often and lose so much time worrying. Worrying is weightless.

• I want to work alone less. In recent weeks, I’ve seen how much more I can get done when I have someone next to me, pushing with me.

  • My roommate this past year, Peter, and I have been putting that into practice lately—and it’s made a real difference.

This summer feels like a real window to grow—not just career-wise, but in how I think, how I work, and how I live. I’m fired up.

Wishing everyone a great rest of their week!

Best,

Jack