Getting into a Routine?

I am discovering that having a routine in NYC is really difficult.

In NOVA/DC, I tended to be an oxymoron of myself. I love hanging out with friends and am very social but at the same time I would also be a homebody. Noone in NYC is a homebody.

The whole "City that doesn't sleep" thing can really mess with you. I've discovered unless you attempt to have a semi-routine, you'll forget to eat. You won't sleep normal hours, and you definitely won't have 3 meals.

That said, I really enjoyed my first weekend not working. On top of that, it was a 3 day weekend. I spent the entire weekend socializing.

I had a girl's night on Friday. We had Mexican food and margs and then went to a bar called House of Brews. I had a blueberry beer, which was really good. I was also home by 12:30; so, it was a fun and lowkey evening.

Saturday morning, I went and saw "The Vow" for $6 For those of you not in the know, AMC theatres only charge $6 for movies before noon. It's definitely a great value and fun way to spend a weekend morning. After the movie, I went with a few girls to brunch. We then hung out and walked around the city. I had some gelato, which was delicious! It was at this market called "Eataly", which had various Italian stands. There was a wine station, a fish station, a cheese station, etc. It was really nice and upscale. Saturday night, I went to an 80's coverband party. It was a lot of fun.

Sunday, I spent the entire day hanging out with a friend and her friends.

I've been really lucky to already be as social as I have been considering I've only lived here for 3 weeks. Luckily I already knew a few people living here and am getting to meet people through them.

Last night, my roommate asked me if I was going out. I said no. It was probably 9PM, and I was already in my pajamas reading in bed. I think she has come to expect to me to never be in the apartment.

All of this said, I am really looking to start a routine. I think it will be nice to balance going out and relaxing. I bought a smoothie this morning on the way to work. I'm going to start trying to eat more fruit/veggies. There are fruit stands all over the city, and I plan on buying fruit from them. It's economical and healthy.

I've decided Thursday nights are my nights for being productive. I did my laundry last Thursday. I also got a manicure. I discovered getting a manicure and doing laundry on the same night isn't a good idea. Your nails get smudged.... This Thursday, I will be getting another manicure (no laundry) and catching up with a couple of girlfriends via Skype. It helps to have a relaxing night in before the weekend. It also allows me to set aside a night to catch up with my various friends who don't live in NYC.

Being in a new city (especially one that doesn't sleep, when I am known to sleep 10+ hours a night) is a matter of adjusting. You have to adjust to the city and the expecations of living in it, but you also have to be able to balance. This is what I'm learning so far in my stay in the Big Apple.