A New Chapter

I've lived in Des Moines for about a year and a half now, and it felt like a natural next step after college—just 45 minutes from where I spent four years at Iowa State University, and filled with other recent graduates finding their footing.

After hibernating through the winter, the city comes alive in the warmer months. Patio bars fill up by 9 p.m., and the weekend farmers market draws lines by 8 a.m. Downtown and the East Village are dotted with cozy, corner coffee shops and an ever-growing mix of restaurants, offering just about any cuisine you could crave. There are still so many places I'm eager to try. It's an easygoing city, the kind where you can always find something to match your mood. It could be a comedy show, a happy hour, a 5K, a baseball game, or a festival.

The people here are kind and quick to say hello on walking paths. It's been an ideal place to step into adulthood and live on my own, while still being surrounded by friends. In many ways, it still feels like college—we all live in the same apartment, like a dorm—but now classes have been replaced with full-time jobs, and there are no more exams (amen).

I've been incredibly grateful for this chapter of my life. It's given me the chance to make new friends at work and to grow closer to people I graduated with but didn't know all that well before. I’ve also grown more confident in my work and more creative in my writing.

It's made it easier to reflect on this time, knowing it's coming to a close. Next month, I'm leaving for Chicago, where I've signed a lease with one of my best friends. Ever since I was little, I've imagined a chapter like this, and it's almost here. There will be a walk-up on a quiet, tree-lined street, near a beautiful park and just steps from a laid-back strip of small shops in historic brick buildings.

I grew up visiting the city, since I'm from a town just 45 minutes away. I remember being completely in awe of its scale. I’d stand on Canal Street, above the river, head tilted toward the sky, taking in the weight of the buildings. I’d feel almost dizzy from how massive they were and how small they made me feel.

Then I’d look around at the people—every kind you could imagine. Women pushing strollers, businessmen with briefcases, runners weaving around slow-moving tourists, saxophone players with hats out for cash, vendors selling knockoff purses. I had never seen so many different lives moving all at once.

I'm excited, but I’m also experiencing growing pains, something that always seems to surface when I know change is coming. I think that discomfort is an inevitable part of moving. It feels good to know that my family will be nearby, and that I'll be close to friends from both high school and college. Going from seeing them twice a year to seeing them monthly feels surreal. I've missed them more than words can describe.

Cheers to a new chapter of life, and to the uncertainty that pushes us beyond our comfort zones. And if we don't like where it takes us, it teaches us how to redirect ourselves toward what we've learned to want. I hope the chapter you're in right now is treating you well.