When I was on the plane leaving New York I remember thinking, "Wow, I'm going to miss this place." Well, at that time I didn't know how true that would be. Reflecting on my experience there has been a journey in itself. When classes started up again, a lot of my classmates were asking about the trip and what it was like. I told them about all the shows we saw, places we went, and people we met but I didn't feel like that was sufficient. I really found it hard to put into words how enriching this experience was. Learning not only about my future career but learning about my own personal strengths and weaknesses has actually changed my life. 

      A couple students who are also interested in music business have come to talk to me about my interview, what the city was like, and what I learned about the industry, and that was a really cool feeling. Not only did this trip impact me, but now I'm able to pass the knowledge on to others and influence them. The trip has also impacted me academically. Now that I have a clearer picture of what I'm working towards, I know what areas I need to concentrate in and focus on. 

      The biggest person lesson I learned was that I am young, and that your career doesn't take shape overnight. I get overwhelmed (mostly at family functions) when people ask what I want to do when I'm older, or what my plan is, and guess what? I don't have to know exactly where I'm going to end up, as long as I am working hard and staying motivated and passionate toward a career in artist management, something will come out of it. 

     Since we've been back I've emailed Ana, the manager I interviewed about summer internships and she said she would give me some contacts (which I haven't received yet, but I know she's a busy girl). I have also emailed Logan Tracey, who taught us how to market ourselves online and through your resume because she knows some individuals at BMI, a big music distributer, and I look forward to keeping in touch with both of them throughout the year. 

I'm already looking forward to my next trip to the Big Apple. 

-Leah