RRT is finished, time to consult my checklist

Thirteen days after embarking on my brilliant/unusual/foolhardy/pick-your-adjective Resume Road Trip, I returned to North Carolina and my fluffy bed.  Time flew by during my travels, and I couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable experience.

But since this trip was more than a mere joyride, I must now utilize the left-side of my brain to analyze my success (or lack thereof).

Taking a shot while crossing the Bay Bridge in MD (don't try this, kids)

What a Resume Road Trip is good for:

• Getting to know new cities
• Finding out what businesses/industries are prominent in the area
• Determining whether you would want to live there 
• Determining whether you could afford to live there

What a Resume Road Trip is not good for:

• Going on job interviews
• Actually getting hired

The chaotic nature of such travels is not conducive with the playing-hard-to-get game of landing interviews.  Although I did meet with some prospective part-time employers, the real reward is knowing where I should be focusing my job search.  My top pick of the three is the Big Apple (duh).

Snapping again across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge into NYC

New York City is the place to be for the artistically inclined and highly motivated.  I love that in a single day you can overhear more conversations in a foreign language than English.  I love that creativity seems to be a part of the city's DNA.  I love that I can eat ANY international cuisine, and it's always authentic.  The downfall of the City That Never Sleeps is, well, just that: The drive to succeed in New York means long workdays (think 9 a.m. to 7 or 8 p.m.); overly competitive peers; and sometimes cutthroat work environments.  Not exactly my ideal.  Also, the rent is too damn high!

Washington, D.C., is a close second behind New York in terms of relocation appeal.  Having interned  in the District two years ago,  I'm already familiar with the area and know where to find good food, economical apartments and squirrels that play tug-of-war over a peanut.  While the city might not be as exciting as NYC, there is no shortage of international flavor, museums and other 20-somethings.  The drawback of life in D.C., is the attitude.  Most businesses— whether they be lobby firms, publications or bookstores— revolve around politics, which many people take very seriously.  As someone who doesn't enjoy heated debates, I worry the pugnacious political culture would wear me out.  Out of town, that is.

Philadelphia didn't have much of a chance.  Of the three cities on my tour, Philly was the one I had not yet visited, and I only gave it one day to make a good impression.  Not fair, but in the interest of time, I decided to trust my instincts and discard it from the search.  The City of Brotherly Love has a plethora of history, old architecture and activity.  I'd like to go back and visit, but I don't think I want to live there.

RRT Part 3: Holy Cream! I'm in NYC

Check out the stadium seating in Times Square

Bright lights, Big city.  Although I assured everyone from my mom to my aunt to my friends that driving into New York City would be a piece of cake, my stomach was roiling with suspense. Surprisingly the drive was less stressing than the one from Maryland to Pennsylvania, and I arrived safe in sound in Brooklyn after passing blocks and blocks worth of 20-something hipsters— they're good for gauging the safety/sketchiness of an area.

The funky Hearst Tower

My last visit to the Big Apple was in 2008 during my senior year spring break.  At the time I felt overwhelmed, overcrowded and generally uncomfortable by the concrete jungle and its 8 million inhabitants.  This time has been completely different.  The city exudes excitement and possibilities and a bit familiar (I even ran into a friend from UNC who's now in law school).  I'm not sure whether this difference can be attributed to me, having been indoctrinated into city life in D.C. and then Buenos Aires, or whether it's the city.  Manhattan has created new outdoor piazzas in Union Square, the Flatiron District and even Times Square.  My friend says this is part of an attempt to give the city back to the people.  Whatever the reason, I love it!

Sharing the doughnut ice cream sandwich

The job search part is going so-so with success rate being about on par with D.C., which isn't bad but isn't wonderful either.  My mission before departure is to get one more interview or follow-up contact.  In the meantime, I'm savoring the hustle and bustle and the crazy foods... like doughnut ice cream sandwiches from Holy Cream.  Is this a potential competitor for another blogger's doughnut burger?