Somewhere between running lost through a wet and torrential Times Square and devouring the best cheesecake in the golden glow of hotel lights, I fell in love.

Six students from our journalism program traveled to Manhattan two weeks ago for the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Spring Convention at Columbia University. As 2013 Crown Finalists and now Silver Crown winners, we had the opportunity to attend workshops, lectures, and discussions led by professionals and advisors across the country.

Despite battling a virus and the pervasive feeling of melancholy due to all my missed assignments, I was determined at first through the tissues and homework to make the trip worthwhile.

Setting out with the intention to create memories usually backfires, at least for me. I end up becoming so preoccupied with fabricating my future nostalgia that I’m blind to the things that are happening in front of me. Kind of like the way you plan a party so much that you’re stressed the whole time trying to make it perfect.

I guess, that way, I’m thankful for my initially nonchalant and groggy state of mind; I didn’t even know what was going on the first couple days of the trip. It let me focus on feeling better and having fun—and the new experiences followed suit.

I remember stepping through the gates into Columbia’s campus, alive with the crisp March morning breeze, and feeling the most overwhelming awe. It’s one thing to sit in a warm-cocoon-colored room and churn out articles, photos, and videos whenever the need arises. It’s entirely different to learn how to do the same thing surrounded by hundreds of people who do exactly what you love.

Just knowing that I was tied by something major to every single person who stepped through those doors made me feel like I was a part of something bigger than myself.

Utterly confused and definitely disoriented, I stumbled around the campus with only the back cover map of my ‘convention Bible’ to help me. I unsuccessfully tried to locate and memorize the buildings minutes before my first workshop: “Using Editorial Material to Get Into the College of Your Choice” (the Harker cliché!)

By the end of the trip, though, I was navigating the university, the city, and the subway like a pro—or at least a semi-capable tourist. I knew how to get from the Roone Arledge Cinema on the second floor of Lerner to 501 Schermerhorn on the other side of campus, and that was honestly good enough for me.

I left New York City with a curious disposition, and one I’m sure I’ve never been aware of before. Maybe it was just the frigid Siberian weather (and I’m only being half-sarcastic) getting to my head, but this trip showed me a second home—hazardously preemptive or not.

Whether it’s a fleeting affinity or something I’ll actually be able to act on in my post-high-school days, I’m convinced of my desire to live in the city. Our journey was filled to the brim with idyllic adventures, inspiring people, and unique perspectives. I guess it’s never too early for college crushes!

Watching Telemundo at midnight with a piece of half-eaten pizza on a makeshift cardboard plate; holding back tears in the third row watching Matilda; falling asleep during a session for fontaholics labeled “Children of the Kern” even though we slept in an extra hour and got breakfast late (by the way, New York City smoothies are about six times worse and twice as expensive compared to what I was used to from here.)

The memories I made on this trip were serendipitous, for probably the first time in my life. Experiencing Times New Roman in Times Square was phenomenal and undoubtedly unparalleled, and this trip will forever remain rooted in my mind as the precursor to a more worldly life.

And I can’t wait for next year.