Author: Dani Toth

Today is my last day of work for the admissions office and exactly one week from today I’ll be sitting in orientation for my new job at Macmillan Publishing in New York City. It turns out that tons of Tizzies will be in the city as well. TZE takes Manhattan scene 1 is coming up.

I’m excited for the summer because it will be like try-outs for real life. I’ll be living on my own in an apartment and taking the subway to work. Having lived in suburbia my whole life, this is kind of a big deal. I’ll also be pumping up my bike tires and riding dirty throughout Manhattan. I might even do my own laundry on a regular basis.

One might think that being a boarding school and college kid I would have crossed that threshold already. When I lived at school in high school, I went home almost every weekend and would usually bring my laundry. At college, I live close enough that I can change wardrobes as the seasons change. My one limiting factor for laundry is usually sports bras and my ultimate gear. I’m definitely guilty of buying new underwear instead of washing it myself. I’m a Jersey girl but I am not into GTL (gym, tan, laundry).

Another new development for me will be waking up without my mom’s help. Yes of course I did this in college and in high school, but rolling out of bed for a 9:50 class that takes five minutes to walk to is very different from dressing business casual for work at 9 a.m. that’s 30 blocks away. I’ve also had to evaluate my wardrobe for appropriate career wear.

This time four years ago I would have been wearing flip flops and ripped jeans to my mildly embarrassing job as a retail worker for store Hollister at my local mall. Somehow that is still scarier to me than walking into the Flatiron building. Next week I’ll be putting on my big girl pants (ironed and pleated of course) and stepping into the real world. For a few months anyway.

Congrats to all the seniors of the red class of 2012 who are walking into real life for realz this time. Best of luck!