As the sweat beads on my already moist forehead, I struggle in the darkness of my cramped dorm room to record the annals of my NYC experience so far. Since moving in last Sunday, I’ve had an eventful week to say the least, but here is just a glimpse of my new intern life in the Big Apple.

My humble abode at the Seventh Street NYU dorm is fair at best. Though TV reception is poor (and lacks the YES NETWORK, preventing me from watching the Yankees) and the kitchen is tiny, the apartment has many amenities, including a door between the toilet and the rest of the bathroom. This spectacular set up allows someone to use the toilet while another uses one of the two, yes two, sinks.

However, the most striking thing about my apartment is the lack of air conditioning. Honestly, it didn't  concern me at first.  Several of my family members and friends agreed with my carefree attitude, reassuring me with, “June isn’t that hot!” or “Who cares? You will be in the city, its worth it!”

With their advice and a positive attitude, I breezed through the first few days. By positioning a high powered fan on me at all times and leaving the lights off, I was able to survive.  Later in the week, it was a different story.

The temperature rose to the point where even a cold shower was not refreshing. With another week of 90 degree weather in the forecast, I am spending my days off (I don’t work Monday and Friday) to construct a plan of attack for the extreme heat.

And FYI, making a weekend trip back home to my lovely, quiet, suburban, air-conditioned paradise is out of the question.  I've already spent all my money on overpriced drinks and food. At this point, I’d even go to the public library to cool down, something I promised myself I’d never do (even during finals when I was at school).

My financial situation is complicated further by my friends. I call them "The Heirs." Like Paris Hilton, my friends are destined to a summer of luxury and partying. With their endless pocketbooks, no doubt supplied by wealthy fathers, my friends constantly eat at the finest restaurants and purchase the best drinks. Though they are extremely generous, they do not understand words like “budget,” “cheap meal,” or “Svedka.”

For me, Grey Goose and penne vodka have become an indulgence reserved for birthdays and special occasions.   For The Heirs it’s a daily routine. During these harsh economic times their native tongue has become a dead language for most students. I can't criticize them too much (both are hardworking students at great universities) but it's hard to keep up with their expensive tastes and lack of discretion.

I admit we all have a lot of fun together, but my exorbitant spending with them can only be compared to national debt (pictured here) which is displayed prominently across the street from The Heirs apartment in Union Square. It serves as a compelling reminder to be mindful of my spending each and every time I leave their luxurious, air-conditioned apartment to return to my modest accommodations a few blocks away.

On the bright side, my internship has been refreshing. It has taught me that history majors do in fact have some tangible value in this world, and not just on Jeopardy and History IQ. While we may not be valuable enough for a full-time job, my three-day work week enables me to have wonderful four day weekends in the grueling heat.

Spending my entire day in a cubicle has been interesting as well, the only thing more thrilling that setting up my voicemail greeting, is listening to my neighbor make conversation with Amazon customer service representatives all day. I just want to scream, "YES AMAZON CHARGES TAX!"

Though I have to make sacrifices to make my life in the city work, I am grateful for the opportunity. The first week has been exciting, between the Yankees game I attended and the countless bars where I spent my hard-earned money. And despite the record heat and the looming financial crisis, city life is all its cracked up to be.

As the ambient noise of the fans lull me into a deep sleep, or maybe its heat exhaustion, I leave you until next time.