Full Frontal PR Report
Molly Frost

While I hate to admit it, I am from Columbia, Missouri.

Despite being raised in a small Midwest college town, I have always been obsessed with New York City. Why is that? What exactly is it about New York City that acts as a magnet and draws people from all corners of the world?

Some would say it is the fast pace, the excitement of potential success, the next rung in the ladder to the top, or even just the City itself. Whatever it is, it grabbed me at an early age and tightly wound itself into every goal I’ve had since then. Needless to say, when I had the opportunity to have an internship and live in Manhattan for an entire summer, I jumped at it.

My previous trips to New York have all been as tourist. I was carefree, spent tons of money on stuff I can’t remember, and tried to do and see everything in a desperate attempt to master New York culture overnight. I have always considered myself a “city girl,” but I quickly realized how different the City is from podunk Columbia, Missouri. It was not until my boyfriend came to visit me and one of my co-workers said, “He is so Midwest,” that I really started to notice the vast differences between MO and NY.

One of the major differences is just that: the men.

The streets of Manhattan are filled with men of all different shapes and sizes. They come from different cultures and backgrounds, but have one thing in common: the way they dress. Going for cocktails with friends after work, I am surrounded by men in suits, looking their best. They have no qualms about buying you a ten-dollar drink and love nothing more than to talk about their New York success.

In Columbia, guys wear their jeans and t-shirts everywhere and accessorize with backwards baseball caps. They hate talking about their future and buy you a $0.25 beer if—and only if—it does not jeopardize their ten-dollar budget for the evening.

A more obvious difference is the landscape. While skyscrapers are awe inspiring pieces of architectural art, there is something to be said for the smaller city. This summer, I am living on the tenth floor of a 17-floor building. When I wake up and try to decide what the weather will be, I walk to the window out of habit. That is meaningless in this town. I can barely see the sky, let alone the sun. Residents of NY migrate to parks on the weekend to get as much enjoyment out of the little bit of nature they have.

In Missouri, the best days are in the spring, driving with all of the windows down, and singing at the top of your lungs while the scent of fresh-cut grass blows through your hair. While taking a deep breath allowing the crisp spring air to clear your lungs, you are not suddenly knocked over with the raunchy stench of urine or sewage the way you are when walking the streets of Manhattan.

Speaking of odors, what is with the random stinky smells here? Sometimes I walk down the street on my way to work and am smacked in the face with a paralyzing odor. Between that and what my Canadian co-worker and I have deemed “wet stuff” (that falls on you like sprinkling rain, even though it is not raining), I go home feeling disgusting and in serious need of some hand sanitizer.

Even with the mysterious puddles and questionable precipitation, The City is beautiful. Its culture and distinctive neighborhoods that simmer with unique make New York (NY) fascinating.

Manhattan is always stuffed with new and exciting activities, no matter the season. While summer in Missouri symbolizes rest and relaxation and days of doing nothing but laying by the pool, summer in New York is a reason to do more, including Shakespeare in the (Central) Park and Monday Night At The Movies in Bryant Park.

Ah yes. From sunrise to sunset, New York residents willingly offer their talent to contribute to their community. From parades, to street fairs, to free exhibits and shows, New Yorkers fill the City streets every single day.

While I appreciate the cleanliness, safety, and comfort of Columbia, I now thrive on the people and energy my new home away from Missouri offers. New York is the marker of success and fulfillment of dreams, where you are forever in the spotlight. The simple act of moving to this place is a measure of success that brings overwhelming feelings of pride, accomplishment and self-fulfillment.

So, like millions of other dreamers, I will sacrifice my $250 per month duplex for a $1400 per month closet, force myself to switch to a diet of Easy Mac and Ramen noodles, pay $10 for a movie ticket and $8 for a pack of smokes…all for a chance to, well, be here. And nowhere else but.

Molly Frost, our intern, returns to Columbia in September to finish her degree. She’ll be back in New York next June, and if you happen to know of any reasonably priced Upper West Side accommodations available, please let her know now.