Cities aren't just places to me. They are a living, breathing, being that displays an open field of dreams and opportunities. They are the outcome of thousands of hard work and diligence and are a testament to the human race through innovation and experiment. They are a frantic, wild jungle of highs and lows (literally). Normal places just don't do that. Cities house a myriad of different types of people, no matter where in the world, bringing a melting pot of diverse, rich culture. As a result of bringing people from all around the world, cities accept and accommodate their diverse culture through corner stores, music venues, and neighborhoods. The uniqueness of tradition, religion, art, music, food, and fashion opens up opportunities and builds a stronger community for each and every citizen. 

The visual beauty of cities can’t go unnoticed either. Historically and currently, cities are a vessel for innovative urban planning like no other. Stories upon stories of tall skyscrapers are stacked on top of each other just to accommodate the millions of people living, working, and spending their lives in the heart of the city. The combination of buildings, individually sculpted differently from every other, create a breathtaking skyline. As day becomes dawn, neon signs and street lamps ignite every block, intersection, and building, keeping the city alive through each passing night. The once gray skyline transforms into a colorful, lively monster. (talk about the skyline at night)

What I like the most though, is what happens on the ground. Busses and cars honk in daily traffic, while pedestrians routinely weave their way through the labyrinth just to make it to the local sandwich shop during their lunch break. Feet away on the sidewalks, dirty from centuries of use, there are people walking in full suits, or a person walking in an outfit that you could buy for 10 dollars at Walmart, regardless of their differences. Bikers, mad that walkers step into their lane, pass with a wheezing sound, and airplanes fill up the sky as people come and go from the bustling metropolis. Shops on the side of the road are just as diverse as the city itself. Designer or CVS, both are just as vital to everyone's day to day life. 

As cities expand, there becomes more of a demand for houses, but they aren't tall skyscrapers like the ones in the inner city, but rather gridded suburbs, which warmly wrap the downtown like a sweater. The bigger the city, the more privacy, because everyone has enough to worry about in their own busy, city life, that they are not worried about what you do, what you look like, or what you say. 

My favorite city is Chicago. I have been there three times, and I've loved it even more each time. The first time, I was twelve, and I loved the exciting feeling I got when people talked loudly on the sidewalk, or when there was abrupt honking in the road next to me. It was an adrenaline rush for my younger self. We went to Chicago just to visit, and we only had a weekend to roam around since we were going up to Michigan to meet up with my Dad’s family. I didn't mind being a tourist, being an observer, observing anything and everything around me—everything that my child brain could handle. We stayed right in the middle of the city, in a tall skyscraper hotel that when walking out, you were placed right into action near Millennium Park. When we were there we did some basic tourist sightseeing: The Bean, Navy Pier, Trump Tower, House of Blues, and many other various historical sights. 

Being a young tourist in a big city is a magical experience that immersed me in a world of wonder and endless excitement. As I strolled through bustling streets, the city's towering skyscrapers and historic architecture rose above, filling me with a sense of awe and inspiration. I immediately fell in love with walking around that city, because there is just so much to observe. 

The second time we went, we were on our way to drop my brother, Cole, off to college. Before that, we saw colleges for me in the future; DePaul, Loyola, and Northwestern were the ones we finally decided on. After a long flight from Baltimore, we barely made it to the car rental headquarters at Midway Airport before it closed, just south of Chicago. As we drove north to our hotel, we passed right beside downtown. The highway took us right in the middle between the city and lake michigan. All of the skyscrapers were lit up, and the water reflected light creating a tunnel into the city I remember loving so much the last time I was there.

 Besides liking the colleges a lot, by the end of the trip, I liked the idea of living there even more. It was eye-opening to see students just a couple years older than me living a bustling life in a city. As I observed college kids routinely jump on and off of the above ground subway, I imagined myself in their shoes, and I enjoyed that. I thought about my future, and if I would ever be able to spend a chunk of my life taking the subway in the great city of Chicago, not as a young tourist anymore, but as someone whose daily schedule requires it. 

The third time was the most important time that I have ever been to Chicago. Coming back early from dropping my brother off at college, I had gotten off the train downtown at the South Station in Chicago, and had to make my way to O’Hare, the Chicago airport. I was alone this time, since my parents were coming back with the car a couple days later. This was an incredible experience for me. My observation skill must've been not fully developed the first time around, because as I walked around the city for the third time, I noticed everything. The lights under the above-ground subway illuminated the busy street below, like a tunnel. Birds chirped and kaw-kawed at bikers picking up their doordash to go and deliver it off to some unknown location. It was like I was watching a movie. It was chaotic and elegant. While homeless folks begged for even just a kind glance as you walked by, a businessman in a full suit briskly passed by, seeming to be on a stressful business call. When I looked up, I could see the tall buildings covered in reflective glass that looked like it was closing in on me, wondering if I stayed in one of those rooms just a couple years ago. 

As I got onto the above ground subway, I made sure I got a window seat to look at the streets as if I were on google earth, viewing the city from above. Although I couldn't see much but office windows, going around corners got so close to buildings, displaying an intricate scene sculpted into the stone corner. It was interesting to see such detail that could only be noticed up so close is hidden due to the magnitude of the city. I was not a tourist this trip, not anything close to it. I tried to present myself as a regular in Chicago, just a normal kid walking around and taking the subway, nothing special. But inside I felt amazing. The lack of recognition that I received actually made me feel special. I embraced a city that was built too big for me, and no one around me seemed to. I feel like I had accomplished something—conquered in a sense. A kid in a big city gave me the adrenaline rush that I always wanted. I felt like I was growing up.