October: Work, Worship, and Well-Behaved Women

October was a month of settling in, unexpected challenges, and rediscovering what fuels me. I’m loving my apartment more each day. I have been getting more adventurous in the kitchen as I learn to cook for myself. To make my space feel even more like home, I decorated my wall with things I brought from home. I love the way my room is shaping up, and it already feels like mine.

As I got more settled at home, I started to realize how much I was struggling working in an office. Sitting at a desk all day, staring at a screen, feels so isolating. I find myself craving real, human connection that I am just not getting at the UN. I thrive being surrounded by people, and most days, its just me, Sue, and Clare here.

Continuing my Broadway streak, I won front-row tickets to Hamilton for $10. It was my third time seeing the show, and somehow, it gets better every time. Towards the end of the month I saw Tammy Faye: The Musical. It was a bit ridiculous, but honestly, I kind of enjoyed it. I also went to a concert called “Well-Behaved Women: For Kamala” featuring Broadway stars, celebrating powerful women through song.

The election process feels overwhelmingly stressful at times, with the constant back-and-forth and uncertainty that comes with it, but seeing so many people hold out hope for Kamala is incredibly encouraging. There is still hope for change and progress. This fuels my passion to keep advocating for social justice and equality, knowing that we are all in this, the good and the bad, together.

In less fun news, somehow my debit card got hacked after a visit to IKEA. I spent the entire month without a debit card, an unexpected (and very inconvenient) lesson in patience.

At work, I started running the social media accounts for the Presbyterian Ministry at the UN, which gave me a creative outlet in the midst of mundane office work. As an office, we had a meeting with the Philadelphia Presbytery which was a fun connection since both of my coworkers are from the Philly area.

Mid-month, I flew home for my cousin Leah’s wedding, a much-needed break filled with family, love, and celebration. She asked me to sing at the wedding which was so memorable and meaningful.

One of the most meaningful experiences of October was attending and helping to plan and lead the Young Adult Advocacy Conference (YAAC) in Charlottle, North Carolina. This conference, hosted by both the UN office and the Office of Public Witness in DC, reignited my passion for advocacy and social justice. It reminded me how much I thrive when I’m surrounded by people and how hard it is for me to work in an office all day. I got to sing and lead worship throughout the conference and was reminded how much I love it.

When I got back to NYC, our office led a worship service at the Church Center for the UN, and I got to sing again. Music, especially worship, has always been a source of joy for me, and having the chance to use my voice in these spaces made me feel more connected to the work I’m doing.

October was a mix of highs, lows, and lessons. I’m figuring out what fuels me, what drains me, and how to find balance. Every challenge, every Broadway show, every moment of connection is shaping my time here and I can’t wait to see what’s next.