I was a New Yorker!

Since the beginning of the semester, we kept saying “New York can not come soon enough!”

On March 6, 2019, the wait was finally over. We landed in New York at 5:30 p.m. and rode to our hotel in style. Our van had everything from reclining seats to a television. The V.I.P treatment didn't stop there. The hotel itself was a luxurious experience. There were forty-six floors and nineteen elevators. I shared a room with two of my coworkers who were equally astounded. We were on the thirty-seventh floor with a window view of Time Square.

We did not waste anytime once we arrived. As soon as we unpacked, we hit the streets. We spent a few hours exploring Time Square. The shopping in New York, New York is extraordinary! H&M, Forever 21, and several other stores had multiple floors with escalators to each level. I was continuously mind-blown as I experienced the city life.

Later that evening, The Chanticleer staff went to the Empire State Building. Based on the long walk there, I could tell New York was a large city. Once I reached the top, I realized just how massive. It appeared as though buildings filled every square inch. Looking down on the glowing city was a feeling I had never experience before. I always through beauty came from something natural like the mountains or the sea. However, man-made things hold a beauty of their own. It was incredible to think that New York began construction in the 1600’s and grew into what it is today.

While we had the afternoons and evenings to explore, we spend the first half of each day attending media sessions. There were multiple sessions to choose from depending on your major and interests. For instance, I am a Graphic Designer with a specific interest in text art. So I chose to attended a session called “Just Your Type.” In this session, I learned more on how type can be manipulated to express a specific theme. Another session that I enjoyed was about branding myself via social media. I learned to keep my identity consistent across multiple platforms while providing the user with a different experience in each space.

My favorite part of the New York trip was our tour of Nickelodeon. This tour was exclusive to Coastal Carolina which included The Chanticleer, Tempo, and Archarios. I was surprised to learn that the Art Director who gave us the tour is an Alumni of Coastal. She walked us through their process in creating animated characters, commercials, and short clips. The space was divided into specialized sections. For instance, the Graphic Designers were placed together in one area while web designers where in another. The break rooms were similar to those in the 2013 movie, “The Internship.” There was a large room with coliseum-like stairs facing a television. Bubble chairs hung from the ceiling and oversized sofas faced a magnificent view of the city.

As a senior, this was my last university-sponsored trip. It was an amazing last hoorah! If you get the chance to go on a trip or conference with Coastal, take it! You will make great memories and the things you learn will help you far beyond graduation.