I was in elementary school when I fell in love. It was “New York Week” in my little Louisiana classroom and that’s where it all started: I’d been swooning over you ever since.

As a high school senior, I finally got to visit. It was strange, though. I figured I’d be squirming in my seat–excitement being an understatement–during the plane ride over. This wasn’t the case at all. Even amongst the hustle and bustle that is boarding and departing an airplane, the feeling was more surreal than anything. I later came to find that this feeling was a perfect representation of you: Surreal and more "in the moment" than anything else.

Talk about a view. It was something I’d always seen in movies but never pictured myself actually experiencing. Waking up in the morning to a sunny skyline and sitting down to eat while thousands buzzed below was quite a different scenery from my Louisiana neighborhood. No one does mornings quite like you do, New York.

You mean I can’t just stand here? The first time I saw this sign I just stopped and laughed–What do you mean I can’t stand on the sidewalk? It’s not like I’m in the middle of the street! Don’t worry, I quickly learned my lesson. Your people have one main rule for sidewalk commuting: Keep walking or bust.... Literally.

Good Morning America doesn’t do Times Square any justice. Coming up from the subway, I felt like I was stepping into a whole other world: Lights everywhere, noises from every direction, thousands of people buzzing every which way. Sensory overload is the least of what I was feeling and, trust me when I say, I couldn’t pick my jaw up off the ground.

Speaking of, the subways? Yeah, can’t say I’m a fan. Sure, you’ve got your people moving quickly, but your system is seriously confusing at the least. Plus, I realize you’ve got a millions of people, but rush hour… Thank goodness I have a car back home.

I’ve got to say, I think Central Park is your best asset. I spent several of my days there just relaxing and watching the fast-paced city turn into a relaxing stroll. This is another thing the movies just don’t do any justice to–you should really work on that. Central Park was by far my favorite spot and I can only dream of having even an eighth of that park back home.

You’ve got a little bit of an artsy side, you know that? Chelsea is really where you’re full of it. Between the sidewalk art, adorable shops and the High Line, you’ve got that whole “hipster living a simple life” thing going on. I mean, seriously, who thinks of turning an elevated railroad into a market and garden? Genius.

I realize a bookstore is a little silly to be one of my trip highlights, but I don’t even think the Strand Bookstore falls into any other category other than heaven. Three floors of every single book I could think of, the cutest staircase, and old wood floors that creak as I walk over them? You’ve really got it going on with that one, New York.

Your skyline has a knack for taking people’s breath away. Night or day, I had no problem stopping to sit on a bench and just stop and stare. Being inside the city is one thing, but the view from the outside is one of those things that’s pretty surreal. You definitely don’t see that in Louisiana.

All in all, it was all of the things I’d dreamed of since those days in elementary school. You’ve got your ups and downs, but there’s one thing that’s for sure: There’s nothing even remotely like you. You’ve got that magic touch that I couldn’t find anywhere else. Time seems to stop–just not on the sidewalks.