New to New York

As this Thanksgiving draws near, I'm taken back to my trip to NYC last year. My younger sister's cheer team had been invited to walk in the Macy's day parade and that meant Thanksgiving in the city for my family.

As someone who loves to travel, I was beyond excited for this non-traditional holiday away from our usual family festivities at home. I had never been to New York City and I was immediately captivated by the hustle and bustle atmosphere.

Upon our arrival we spent the afternoon walking Fifth Avenue while taking in the sights and sounds of the city.

We saw a variety of shows from Aladdin on Broadway to the Rockette's Christmas Special. Amidst our shows and museum tours, my family obviously took the time to stroll through Central Park. I loved the secluded nature that still fit into the high paced feel of the city.

The one activity that I had personally planned for my family prior to the trip was a tour of the NBC tower and a viewing of the Today Show being filmed live. As a broadcast journalism major working for NBC has always been my dream job, and I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to see my dream happen live.

The main event during our time in NYC was, of course, the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade. Waking up at the crack of dawn and waiting in the freezing cold streets was one hundred percent worth it to see the massive balloons and floats pass by. My dad even got the attention of Jimmy Fallon which will forever be his biggest brag.

Eating Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant took a little adjusting, but all the people I loved were sitting at the table with me and for that reason I was thankful.