I Survived the Subway. But Not My Hair.
Every weekday morning, I wake up at 5 a.m.
I do an hour-long streaming workout in my living room—the kind I started during lockdown and never stopped.
Not because I’m virtuous.
Because it’s the only thing keeping me from screaming into my AirPods at 4 p.m.
Then I get dressed, grab a coffee I won’t drink, and descend into the underworld.
Also known as: the New York City subway in mid-July.
There was a time when overcrowding was the enemy.
When we packed in like lip-glossed sardines and prayed the A/C didn’t fail.
But in 2025?
The fear isn’t sweat. It’s safety.
Especially if you’re a woman. Especially if you look like you’ve showered.
I used to think the scariest part of my commute was making eye contact with a man holding a ferret.
Now it’s remembering to stay alert, and keep my mascara from melting down my neck.
“Some women fear the subway after dark. I fear it at 8:15 a.m.—because there’s nothing more terrifying than arriving at the office looking like you just lost a hot yoga deathmatch.”
And the kicker? My office is across from the Freedom Tower.
So after surviving potential harassment, heatstroke, and a subway performer singing Adele off-key… I emerge, sweating through silk, into the most patriotic zip code in America.
I swipe into the building.
Smile at security.
Do the elevator mirror hair check.
Wonder if my deodorant is still doing its job—or just lying to me like a bad creative brief.
And then I sit down at my desk.
With a look that says:
“I’m totally composed and deeply invested in this Q3 rollout.”
Even though internally, I’m begging for a shower, a nap, and a federal grant for better public transportation.
But here’s the thing—
We still show up.
Women, I mean.
With our tote bags full of hope and overpriced toner.
We show up with data dashboards and dreams.
We show up with thighs sticking to subway seats and pitch decks balanced on rage.
Because that’s what it means to work in this city.
You don’t commute. You battlefield your way into brilliance.
And just like that, I remembered:
The only thing stronger than a New York summer is a woman who doesn’t let it ruin her blowout.
#SubwaySurvival #HeatwaveAndHighHeels #WorkingWhileGlossy #NYCSummerDiaries