But seasons change and so will I.

I'm hungry for winter.

It's an interesting concept, wanting the cold weather to come when warm weather is always more comfortable. But there's a different type of comfort in the cool, crisp air that winter brings. Many people say that winter brings gloominess, sorrow, general cold things and ideas. But when I think of winter, I think of Christmas, the beautiful city completely illuminated with holiday lights, spices filling the air on the streets, warm sweaters and tea, fresh fallen snow.

It's my first winter living in the city, and although all of the things listed above have been experiences of mine before, I have experienced none of them as an independent adult. They are all things that when living downtown, alone, part of the real world, I think I'll be able to appreciate that much more. The little things during the cold months are what make them not as cold as they might normally be.

My dad said that I needed a heavy winter coat, so when I refused, he went out and bought me an Alaskan-appropriate down parka, perfect for those walks to the bus in the morning. But when I'm walking toward the bus on these first few crisp mornings, it's not the brisk weather I notice; it's the beautiful lake in front of me as I walk towards Lake Shore Drive. The beauty of the lake, of my own walk on my way to work, completely masks the unpleasantness of the temperature.

So some might say that winter is the worst season, unbearable during the really dark months. But I say, bring it on, Chicago. For my first, beautiful, Chicago winter, it can't come soon enough.

Hungry for...

WHAT: Quartino

WHERE: Corner of State and Ontario

WHY: As one of our first real nights in the city, my friends wanted a fun place to eat that wasn't too expensive with great food and even better wine. I had been here before with my family and knew from experience that the food was delicious and very reasonably priced. The restaurant is always packed, so when we went at 8:30 for our reservation, we weren't surprised to enter a bustling, noisy dining room. The food was excellent, focusing on small, classic Italian dishes that come out as they're ready and are meant for sharing. I got an heirloom tomato salad and poached shrimp, all for just $9. And you get all the delicious, crusty bread you can eat with their imported olive oil for dipping.

FAVORITE: The sangria. We knew we wanted wine, but the fruity drink was hard to resist, especially at just $10 for an entire liter.

MUST: The pizzas. They're all delicious, especially the fresh zucchini pizza.

Does Law and Order not count as culture?

I'm hungry for activity.

When you move to a great city like Chicago, in the heart of the bustling, fun-filled mecca that is downtown, you can't help but want to explore anything and everything.

But I work full-time. And it's been raining. And I really like my couch. And Law and Order marathons. So what's a girl to do on a lazy Saturday that shouldn't be so lazy?

To start with, I went to the farmer's market on Division last weekend. In the rain, I might add. The trip was totally worth it, though, with an abundance of fruits and vegetables that can keep an apartment stocked for weeks. I came away with tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers and nectarines, all of which lasted me and my roommate, Eve over a week.

But this farmer's market was a mere two blocks from our apartment. It was a start, right? Sure. But I needed more.

So, last night I took my friend, Sam to the opening night of the Broadway play, Rock of Ages with my two complimentary press tickets, courtesy of Cheeky Chicago. The show was fantastic. Not only did it put me in a great mood for the rest of the night, but the outing reminded me why I wanted to move to the city in the first place. To live, to do exciting activities, to be a part of the active Chicago community.

Final step of the week? Join a gym. Although it may not be cultural, it is a great addition to my mental and physical health. And if nothing else, motivates me to leave my apartment due to the fees taken out of my bank account each month.

So, I've come to the conclusion that I need to take the city one step at a time. Next step: Quartino for dinner tomorrow night.

Getting cheeky.

I'm hungry for recognition.

I've been writing for an amazing online women's magazine for almost two months. It's unpaid, it's all on my own time... and it's absolutely incredible. For the first time since graduation... well, really for the first time ever, someone is giving me the opportunity to write in my own voice, in my own style. As a journalism major and as someone with a general passion for writing, I couldn't ask for anything better.

But I needed something more. Not money. Money isn't something that motivates me to do this. I love writing and I love Cheeky, the magazine that has given me this fantastic opportunity. What I needed was recognition. After being exposed to journalism and creative writing in college, I have waited four years to be able to make writing my profession. And somehow, I have achieved this just months after leaving my university. There's something absolutely priceless about seeing my name on the byline of an article, an article that everyone, anywhere can see and read.

The only thing that could make this experience better is being included on the "Meet" the staff page. And as of this evening, that goal has also been achieved. I not only get to do exactly what I've always wanted, but I get to be recognized for it, as me. Not with a syllabus as my guideline, not with a grade attached, but just as a piece of writing with my name at the top, hoping that the public will like something that I am proud to publish.

And, eventually, money wouldn't hurt either.

Hungry for...

CRAVING: Sprinkles Cupcakes

LOCATION: 50 East Walton, Rush and Walton, Gold Coast, Chicago

WHY: Although the cupcake trend has become highly overrated recently, Sprinkles has the best reputation for a reason. Since moving in to the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago, there have been lines out the door at all hours of the day. Everyone is hungry for a cupcake, and being the original cupcake shop that is loved by celebrities created a following for the Chicago location before they even opened their doors.

FAVORITE: Black and white. Traditional, but unbelievably good. Dark chocolate cake with vanilla bean frosting and chocolate shavings.

TIP: Order ahead, skip to the front of the line. The order form on their Web site is super easy and convenient.

If he can do it, we can do it.

I'm hungry for fame.

Actually, both my friend Alyssa and I are hungry for it. Not really fame, I guess, but we want to have great success. We want the sort of success that Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook has, or the type of success that the girls who created the shopping site Gilt have achieved. And we want to get that success by making a Web site.

We're going to make a Web site about living in Chicago in your 20s. We're in our 20s. We live in Chicago. Perfection, you might say? We agree. We're young, hungry and short on cash, and we know that there are plenty of youngsters in our same position. We want our site to be the go-to reference for twenty somethings. We want them to know that they're not alone. And we want to have fun. All great things.

And fame? That would certainly be nice. Money? That would be even better, considering we both have very little. But the main goal of this project isn't to make money or become the next Web site guru. It really is meant for us to have fun and see the city. We want to make sure that we make our experience being young and living in Chicago the best that it can be, and that our own lack of motivation doesn't interfere. What could be a more perfect way to ensure that we see as much of the city as we can than knowing we have the responsibility to report on it to the public?

So, to all the Mark Zuckerbergs of the world, thank you for setting the standard for creativity on the Internet... but we're coming for ya.