Chicago City Lights Essay

             There are many aspects of Chicago that I have fallen for. From the vibrant people and the mixture of urban cultures to the grand architecture that outline the streets, the city lights have found a place in my heart.

 

             The lights show movement and culture. They represent the motion in the city, and the busy people.

 

        The lights don’t only glisten for the eyes of curious tourists, but they represent new hopes and big dreams. As a young girl growing up in the suburbs in various states, I have always had “big city dreams.” City lights meant an endless spectrum of sight-seeing and late night coffee. That alone, meant freedom, opportunity, and adventure.

 

            Not only do I love the lights that flicker on at sunset, but I’ve also favor the natural light in the city. For instance, I love waking up to the light of the sun reflecting off of Roosevelt University. It towers over every building around it; the blue stained glass reflects the sun.  The reflection pours seamlessly into my dorm, making every morning fees like a lazy Sunday.

 

With my roommate asleep, I tiptoe to get ready as quiet as can. Looking out the window, I feel calm and connected with my thoughts. The way the Sun reflects fully off the windows without holding back, and the way the building stand tall and strong invigorates me.

 

To become strong I have to have a foundation, and to be optimistic and open minded, I have to let the light shine on me even when I’m vulnerable, and out in the open, like the Roosevelt building.

 Though the building stands tall, it is still out in the open, shining. To be free and independent, like the natural light that reflects off of glass buildings, I have to let opportunity come to me, and take it, even if I may be vulnerable, like buildings out in the open and against the Chicago wind.

 

Being in Chicago opens many opportunities for me. Whether it’s being out late and just experiencing midnight coffee stops, or looking out my dorm window at the traffic lights, I’m inspired by the movement. I’m inspired at Chicago’s need for action and stimulus.

 

 At times, when it’s cold out, I pass a Dunkin Donuts and see two best friends enjoying their hot chocolates, their faces content and engaged. When I see two friends so intertwined under a small flickering bulb, enlightens me. It gives me a push to connect at heart with more people.

 

Diversity and culture floods these city corners with these warmly lighten coffee shops, creating connection between breaks and after classes. I’m open in this city to meet more vibrant and elaborate people, so that maybe we can sit under a flickering bulb and complain about the signature Chicago weather.

 

            As always, with opportunity comes adventure. Many shopping centers and tourist attractions are filled with marble floors and white lights. I love seeing little kids tugging on their parents’ arms wanting to go into the Hershey’s Café just to see the oversized chocolate bars. I remember being 4 years old bolting into Toys R Us and being amazed by the high ceiling and what seemed to be never ending aisles.

 

Walking down the streets of Chicago and seeing white lights from stores and attractions strike adventure. Experiencing the urban culture is walking into local restaurants and riding the CTA trains with friends for the first time.     

 

Adventure in the city is gasping at Navy Pier’s Ferris wheel lights and the skylines outlined in various colors. Adventure in the city is knowing I’m doing something great when I see a whole new world, with sound, reflective glass and urban art. I know adventure waits for me in the city, whether it’s towering over me or around the corner in a 24 hour pancake house. I know I’ll take what I can living in this diverse and immense city.

 

            Chicago’s city lights mean more than a circuit in a unit. The lights connect a broader idea of living. Living in the city on my own itself demands independence. With independence comes freedom. I want to stand strong and tall while also being optimistic and open, like Roosevelt University’s blue stain glass.

 

I have the freedom to be who I want to be, to make an idea real. I have the freedom to take opportunities at hand, to make connections under flickering lights in coffee houses. I’m open to the adventure the city has to offer, I’m open to the bright lights in brand name stores and to sightseeing at the Navy Pier. I’ve fallen for the city lights, and I’m living my “big city dream.”