Envious of: Gidget

What's enviable: Gidget made her dream come true. She lives in the Big Apple and works for TIME.

How long have you been in New York?
2 1/2 years

When did you decide to take the plunge and get that master's degree at NYU?
7th grade. In high school while I was looking at colleges, I had grad school brochures sent over already so I would know what my options were. But it wasn't until 2004 (two years before I moved to NYC) that I decided on what schools and programs to apply to. Moving to NYC has always been on my life goals list.

What motivated you to do it?
I always aim to challenge myself and take that next step. And I wanted to be on my own, and prove that I could make it on my own.

How did you learn about the program?
NYU website. And I researched other websites, articles, blogs, etc so I could know more about it.

What challenges did you face in New York? How did you cope?
The biggest challenges were adjusting to the weather, doing chores and making new friends. I had always been independent so being on my own and taking control of my life was no big deal. I learned to dress right and rely on weather forecasts for my outfit that day. I learned to do my chores. I learned to go to parties alone, introduce myself and meet new people. Now I constantly meet new people all the time, and I have great groups of friends I regularly hang out with. It's not that hard really.

Did you ever have doubts about yourself and your decision to go overseas?
No, I always knew this is what I wanted to do.

What is the best thing you've discovered about yourself?
I can care for other people almost as much as I care for myself (read: I'm not that selfish after all)

And the worst?
I sometimes miss the comforts of home. I'd rather not commute or do my chores, but it's just some of the few things I need to do to get by. I realized how "spoiled" I was when I was still in Manila.

You've landed your dream job. What other dreams are you hoping to realize?
I hope I do well enough that I get promoted to a higher position in a few years, and also that the stars align so my company can petition my green card someday.

What does it take to make dreams come true?
Know what you want, map out a plan to achieve it, be patient, be strong, have faith and be ready. You never know when it'll finally happen.