May 15th marks my one-year anniversary as the Office Manager at Discovery, and just two days before that marks my one-year anniversary as a New Yorker. The end of my first week was the annual Gymnastics Team Gala, so I learned very early on that to work at Discovery, you have to be light on your feet, willing to wear many hats, and able to juggle infinitely many tasks in the same moment. This impressive commitment is a testament to the dedication of each staff member. At that event, I remember not only donning an apron to help prepare food in the kitchen, but also serving as principal photographer, and of course serving in my normal role as an administrative assistant. What took me by surprise in all the best ways then has become the epitome of normalcy for me now.
The past year has been quite the whirlwind, thanks in no small part to the amount of growth and change I have witnessed at Discovery. Since my very first day, I’ve seen the seasons change from summer, to winter, to spring, and back to summer once more. Each piece of the year has its own distinct flavor, its own routines and unanticipated events. I’ve seen beloved staff members move on to new chapters in their lives, and others, no less beloved, who have come to take their place.
Our programming has morphed and been reinvented to meet the ever-shifting needs of our families. I’ve seen a veritable parkour explosion (when I arrived, most parents I spoke to didn’t know what parkour was – now they’re scrambling to sign up their children, and even to take class with them!). I’ve seen our gymnastics team go from force to be reckoned with to unstoppable champions. I’ve seen Sensei Karin revel in the triumph of promoting her first black belt student. I’ve seen myself grow more confident, both in my role at Discovery and in my own skin as an individual.
Most poignantly, I’ve seen children come into the world and grow at a rate that seems astounding. Mothers in the early stages of pregnancy when I moved to the city now have little ones that can blink, smile, and (almost) crawl. Coach Cristian became a first-time father. Youngsters that used to arrive in strollers now come barreling down the stairs.
And even though all of these things have taken place over the course of a year, I’m sure I speak for us all when I say: it feels like it was only a New York minute.
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