As Madonna says, “There’s only so much you can learn in one place.” I can guess that if anyone else would have said this I probably wouldn’t have taken it so seriously, but Madonna is Madonna so she knows.

Over winter break I was lucky enough to go on a short road trip. I love traveling, and I mean anywhere. I don’t really care where to, or how long, the whole experience is enough for me. This time I was somewhat reluctant considering it was going to be an 18-hour drive both there and back, but I was willing to do just about anything as long as it meant I could be reunited with New York. The nearly 20-hour drive to New Jersey from Kansas City, definitely took a toll on my mind and body. On around the 16^th hour of travel, I was listening to “The Devil Wears Prada Soundtrack” like the smart, cultured, girl that I am, when “Jump” by Madonna came on. I hadn’t heard this song in a good six months, and I was in one of those moods where I take every song very literally, and try to connect the lyrics to my life, like they had been written specifically for me. So when I heard Madonna say “there’s only so much you can learn in one place.” It was as if Madonna herself had been sitting right next to me sharing intimate stories of her successes and failures (very few failures, I’m sure) I immediately felt like this road trip, was meant to inspire me, and remind me of what I want, and where I want to be. I decided to be excited, and inspired. Instead of complaining about the car ride, or the fact that I only would be able to spend a day in New York, I decided to see everything as a sign from destiny.

My entire life, New York City has been the goal. I have wanted to live there since before I knew how to spell it. It’s something that I have tried to do but sadly haven’t been able to do because of money, or other circumstances. For about a year I have been feeling hopeless in this area. In my heart I knew that’s where I was meant to be (as cheesy as that sounds) but making it happen at this point in my life, seemed nearly impossible. When I went to New York over break for a short day trip, I was reminded all over again of my dream. I never doubted that someday I would live in NY but I needed something to inspire me and push me to keep working hard for it. Standing in the streets of New York was as good of a motivation as any, to not listen to anyone but my own heart (ok and maybe Madonna). Being reunited with my physical, lifelong dream, was a learning experience in and of itself- regardless of how long I was there. So the next time I hear Madonna’s “Jump”, I will be reminded that if you want to grow and be the person you are meant to be then you can’t stay in one place. Whether that means experiencing something new in the town you live, going on a road trip, or moving to the city of your dreams; you have to jump and keep moving.