12 things I learned in 2012.

2012 was a year of transition for me. I stopped working to concentrate on getting into grad school, spent a good 24 hours answering standardized admissions tests, (GMAT, UP and Ateneo Law School entrance tests, LSAT) and finally moved to NYC to start my MBA.

Here’s my top of mind list of (non-academic) things I learned last year.

  1. I do not enjoy riding in NYC cabs. The cab drivers drive like crazy, I usually get carsick especially if I’ve had a drink or three. My most recent trip from JFK to my apartment was awful. The driver kept swerving and cursing at other drivers, plus he looked like he was falling asleep during stoplights.

I’m used to driving myself around Manila, or riding with people whose driving styles I like, so I usually end up dizzy in taxis here.

2.    It’s important to keep a week’s worth of food in your apartment. During Hurricane Sandy, I’m glad that I didn’t have to deal with the long lines at the supermarkets for food before stores closed.

3. Hide Chan’s pork buns and ramen are the best I’ve had in this city. There’s black garlic ramen plus the lines aren’t as long as Ippudo or Totto. Good thing it’s on the east side, or I’d go there once a week.

4. Delta airlines flights are ALWAYS delayed.

5. Pizza is my favorite junk food meal. It’s the quickest way to get fat.

6. I don’t like running in cold weather. I actually bought new running shoes so I could run around the Central Park reservoir, but I’ve only gone out to run twice in four months.

7. The Master Cleanse is a great test of willpower and it makes you antisocial. I tried it before classes started. No solid food for 10 days wasn’t too hard to do, which makes me wonder why it’s so hard for me to stay way from pizza nowadays.

8. Ikea makes moving into a tiny shoebox NYC apartment fun. I have a bunk bed with a  desk underneath, a dresser, and another storage unit in my bedroom. I

9. Bed Bath and Beyond coupons make shopping for home goods fun. I got $60 off a 12 pc set of pots and pans! Yay! Now to start extreme coupling. Not.

10. Bowery restaurant supply store is best for other kitchen staples- measuring cups, mixing bowls, knives. It’s a lot of fun to look through all the other kitchen stuff there too!

11. You really need to wake up early and choose the right store to be able to get your most desired item at a H&M collaboration launch. I got to the new Time Warner Center store  too late, and they didn’t have what I wanted.

12. Doing your own laundry takes half a day. My least favorite part of the process is folding the clean laundry after.