New Year's Eve in Times Square is Overrated

Let me start off by saying, NEVER AGAIN. New York consisted of freezing cold weather, densely populated streets, overpriced street meat and homelessness absolutely everywhere, which will never not break my heart. 

My friends and I found this Groupon for a 3-day, 2-night guided tour through New York City for a price that was too good to pass up. It included a ferry ride around the Statue of Liberty, tours through all the boroughs, accommodation and transport. We got well acquainted with the concrete jungle and despite the weather being absolutely atrocious, it was an awesome trip. 

 So, the big day has finally arrived. We set out pretty early in hopes of beating the crowds to a good spot to see the ball drop it like it’s hot in 12 hours’ time. We grabbed lunch at a pub being ever so cautious of our liquid intake, especially me because I have the bladder the size of a raisin. Before this trip, my partner even suggested that I purchase Depends just in case — we laughed hysterically at the ridiculous idea, but I would end up seeing more people than I could count selling them throughout the city. 

 In the corner of that quaint little pub was a friend from university that I hadn’t seen in ages. What are the odds that our paths would cross? The world always finds a way of bringing people back to me serendipitously. He walked me back to my friends, gave me a long embrace and I haven’t spoken or heard from him since, I hope this year is kind to him.

 We waited in line for what felt like an eternity, got our bags checked and then herded onto some street ending in “th”. Time passed, we played circle games, engaged in conversation with people venturing from all over the world while dancing and rubbing our limbs together for warmth. I had the urge to pee, but I managed to suppress it that much longer, were so close. 

 It was 1058 PM and I just couldn’t hold it in anymore. I decided to leave to go find a bathroom knowing that I wouldn’t be able to get back in and join my friend’s in celebration at midnight. I ran down the side streets frantically looking for a bathroom and after consistently being denied, I finally found one promising to pee in their lobby if they denied me. I ran down the stairs towards the toilet, fast enough that I surprised myself and just as I reached the final step, someone ended the washroom. Sweet release was so close, yet so far way. 

 5 minutes turned to 10 and the light pee dance became a flash mob of 1, I was going to explode. This man approached me, but I couldn’t hear him over the sound of my pee gushing out of my pants, all over the floor. And as fate would have it, just as I finished, the person exited the washroom. I quickly rushed in, disregarding the man that was STILL speaking to me and began gyrating underneath the hand dryer trying my best to clean up the mess I’d made of my jeans. It must’ve been 1140 PM by this point, and I didn’t come all this way not to see the ball drop. I headed back upstairs with my head held high despite being a 24-year-old that has just violently peed her pants in front of an unsuspecting stranger and walked across the street. A nice concierge turned on the heat and let me to stay in the lobby. 

I headed outside for the 10-second countdown and watched in awe from behind a pillar as the ball descended from the sky. The New Year was finally here! My friends would laugh hysterically through mitten cupped hands as I recounted what has happened to me, but behind the cackles, one sentiment was commonly felt — can we get the hell out of here? I can’t feel my feet. People always ask me if I could go back would I have bought Depends? My response is always the same: I would have watched from the comfort and warmth of a hotel room and that’s my advice to you.