I finally made my long anticipated move to Chicago. I just got a job in the city and am actually starting to get settled here.
It’s been a crazy past couple of weeks and my mind has been going in every which direction trying to figure out the city and what it is that I want to be doing. Last night was one of my lowest points since I’ve moved here. I was in the city and had to say goodbye to someone that I care very much about. The reason why it was such a big deal for me, is because I have no idea when I will see him again. On top of that, I just generally felt lost. I haven’t had a chance to see any of my friends (besides him) in the past month, and I haven’t really made many here yet. I just feel lonely. I am also stressing out about my job, because I have to commute quite a ways and I’m not sure if it’s going to work out yet.
Anyways, I was visibly upset and didn’t want to go home yet, so I sat down at a starbucks and ordered a coffee. I sat outside with my headphones in, drinking my coffee alone and watching the thousands of people pass by on Michigan Avenue when a complete stranger approached me out of no where. I took out my headphones as he extended his hand and introduced himself. He asked me to dinner and I quickly declined as I still felt full and sad from wallowing in my self pity. He then asked me, “Well what about a drink?” I paused for a second and thought to myself, why not? What else am I going to do, sit here and cry about how alone and lost I feel? So I said yes.
We made our way down the street to an upscale Mexican restaurant and we both ordered a margarita. Aside from it being the best margarita that I have ever had, the vibe of the restaurant was amazing. There were fireplaces made up of blue rocks on fire everywhere, the lighting was dim, and every one around me seemed beautiful and happy. He ended up ordering tapas even though I insisted that I wasn’t hungry. Over our margaritas and tapas, we discussed our life philosophies, what we looked for in other people, using Tinder in the city, and work. It was great conversation for it being with someone that I had just met less than an hour ago. We ended up parting ways, but before we did, he gave me his business card (so adult). I haven’t reached out to him yet and I’m honestly still not sure if I will.
As I rode the CTA home that night, I felt extremely hopeful. This is the beginning of my new life. I may feel completely alone one moment, but I am surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people every single day. There are so many people who are going to be a part of my life here that I simply just haven’t come across yet. Last night made me realize that in this city, anything is possible. And if I want something, I need to put myself out there and go get it. Because at this point, the only thing that’s stopping me is myself. Here’s to a new city, a new outlook on life, new friends, new loves, and most importantly new experiences.
in search of something better ~ 