People strive to get internships in the city for plenty of reasons- happy hour, lunch breaks, and the sheer thrill of being a part of the NYC summer culture. What one doesn’t realize is that for many of us, an internship in the city means commuting, taking the subway, buying lunches that take up a large fraction of your paycheck, and iced coffees that seem to stare you down even though you’ve already had two today. However, these things aren’t as bad as they seem and if you really think about it, they can shape you into a better, more tolerant person.

1. You learn to go to sleep at a reasonable time

Waking up early seemed like something left in the high school days…until now. Now, not only do you find yourself up at the crack of dawn to sit on a train for an hour, but you also find yourself in bed with the lights off by 11 PM. Eight hours of sleep might have seemed like a lot in 11th grade, but it definitely doesn’t anymore.

2. You learn how to be tolerant of slowness

Everything about going into the city is slow. The trains arrive at least ten minutes late, the salad lines during lunch seem to get longer every day, and the people who walk in front of you seem to get slower just when you need to be at work in 15 minutes and stop at Starbucks within that time. Even though this may seem frustrating at the time, you learn that all of this is out of your control and it’s better not to stress over it. OR, you can take the otherapproach and learn to accept your tardiness, I personally have done both.

3. You learn how to manage your income

When a monthly train ticket costs close to $300, iced coffee is so accessible, and finding lunch less than $10 is next to impossible, you start to realize which purchases are actually necessary. Being that I’m one of those people who can walk into any random store and drop $50 within a matter of five minutes, this lesson is one I’ve had to learn the hard way.

4. You learn how to be your own GPS

In addition to the city being very confusing if you don’t know your way around, it also makes no sense. There is no reason why the avenues go 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, Lexington, Park, Madison, 5^th, 6^th, Broadway, etc. and if you don’t know your way around, like me, and are horrible at directions, like me, the fact that there is no 4^th avenue close by makes no sense at all. Being that the city is so confusing, you’re forced to actually learn your way around, and once you do it’s a very rewarding feeling.

5. You learn to appreciate your surroundings and become more worldly

Walking around the city is nothing like walking around your home or college town. Whether you overhear a phone conversation, watch street performers, or almost get run over by a taxi when you cross even though they had the right-of-way, you are actively learning what life on your own is like and how to appreciate the small day-to-day things life has to offer.

Next time you’re walking around the city and you find yourself frustrated that your train was late, your coffee took forever, and you’re missing every crosswalk, stop and appreciate all the things your walk/subway ride to work has to offer. I can promise you won’t be disappointed!