Reflection: The Country Mouse Goes to New York

The Country Mouse Goes to New York

There’s a quaint little fable about the country mouse and the city mouse. You know, the one where the country mouse dreams of the city only to find it’s not all it’s cracked up to be—loud, overwhelming, and full of surprises. Having spent the last few years surrounded by Illinois’ endless cornfields, I thought I understood the country mouse. What I didn’t expect, though, was to become him during my trip to New York for the LIFEPLUS conference. Let’s just say the city had plans for me that involved cold weather, expensive food, and enough mishaps to fill an entire stand-up routine.

The Cornfield Mindset

Champaign is…well, let’s call it “charmingly slow-paced.” Life here revolves around the basics: Walmart runs, the occasional splurge at Target, and more corn than you’ll ever know what to do with. I’ve spent plenty of time wishing for more—more things to do, more energy, more life. So when I was invited to attend the LIFEPLUS conference in New York City, I thought this was it. My big moment.

I imagined myself effortlessly blending in with the hustle and bustle, soaking up the glamor and sophistication like a seasoned city dweller. What I got instead was a series of sobering reminders that I’m a country mouse through and through.

My Wallet vs. the City

Let’s start with the pizza incident. I wanted a slice of quintessential New York—greasy, floppy, eaten while standing on a sidewalk. I’d watched enough Spider-Man movies to know that pizza was basically a prerequisite to being a real New Yorker, right up there with complaining about the weather and pretending to enjoy a crowded bar. Spoiler alert: reality? Not quite as glamorous as the movies made it seem. Or is it? I wouldn’t know.

After squeezing through the bustling crowd, I found myself at Joe G Pizza, not to be confused with Joe’s Pizza, and ended up staring at a $30 menu and the mustache of a nice old Italian man, also named Joe. The pizza was 80% crust, 20% financial regret. If you’ve ever debated between two loaves of bread over a six-cent price difference, you’ll understand the kind of heartbreak I felt.

And then there were the buses. Somehow, I managed to get off at the wrong stop twice. The first time, I waited over an hour in freezing cold for the next one, only to realize I was at the stop for buses heading in the opposite direction. The second time? Same story, but with extra frostbite. The only thing preventing me from being swallowed whole by the city’s chaos was the EDM Buddhist mantra I found myself singing(?) along to as night fell and my patience thinned. Om mani padme hum indeed.

The LIFEPLUS Conference: A Silver Lining

Despite all the hiccups, the LIFEPLUS conference turned out to be everything I’d hoped for—and then some. Hanwha knows how to throw a party. There were live performances, endless trays of finger foods, and an open bar that made me feel like I’d stumbled into the VIP section of life. But the food? It wasn’t just food—it was an experience. I took a bite of caviar-infused hors d’oeuvres (French for “the good stuff”), and for a moment, I swear I felt my body’s net worth shoot up. The kind of luxurious taste that makes you question every budget meal you’ve ever eaten. Still, the real highlight (I swear!) came when I reconnected with people from my internship.

Seeing them again reminded me that the world is good, and that maybe, just maybe, I should trust it more. I got to chat with new people, too—folks from different walks of life, sharing their stories in a way that felt safe and warm. Going to social meetups only to find people only talking to their little huddle of friends has taught me that it’s not every day you find a space where connecting with strangers feels natural, but this was one of those rare moments.

Now, did I overindulge? Absolutely. Four cocktails, two glasses of wine, and half a bottle of beer later, my face was starting to swell up (thanks, alcohol intolerance). To be fair, my alcohol meter was topped up from the half-bottle of beer, the rest just went towards filling up my social battery for the night. But even through the haze of questionable decisions, I couldn’t help but smile. It was a good time. A really good time. Especially after two midterm exams and a final project out of the way.

The Squirrels of Champaign

Still, as much as I loved the conference, I felt more at home walking down the quiet streets of Champaign. There’s something grounding about watching two squirrels chase each other through the trees or hearing the familiar crunch of gravel under your shoes.

The city dazzles with its lights and promises of endless excitement, but it’s also exhausting. For someone like me—who finds joy in te weekly Aldi Finds, hesitates over splurging on eggs, and feels happiest surrounded by open skies and empty fields—home will always be where life moves a little slower.

I may have ventured out of my comfort zone, but I came back with a deeper appreciation for what I have. The country mouse in me? He’s here to stay.