Times Square, to be precise, is a place that cannot be described without mentioning New Year's.

It is a spot bustling with tourists all year round, but on the night of December 31st, it transforms into a completely different space. While it usually symbolizes commerce with its neon signs and billboards flashing chaotically, on New Year's Eve, it becomes a stage where the entire world holds its breath simultaneously.

The start of the New York New Year's event is simple. At 11:59 PM, everyone waits for that moment when the ball drops. However, for that one moment, some people claim their spots as early as the morning.

Since you cannot leave once you pass through security checkpoints, you need to prepare food and water in advance, and everyone must handle their own restroom needs. Thus, among locals, the saying "real New Yorkers watch it on TV at home" circulates as a joke.

Nevertheless, hundreds of thousands gather in Times Square every year. The reason is that the symbolism of the city of New York is condensed there. People from countless countries shout the same countdown and cheer at the same moment. Regardless of the language, everyone connects through the numbers from one to zero.

The atmosphere felt on-site is surprisingly calm yet oddly excited. Music continues to play, and the screen alternates between famous singers and performance scenes, but people's gazes ultimately return to the ball hanging above.

As the ball begins to descend slowly, the square enters a state of near silence and concentration. And at the moment it hits zero, a cheer erupts like an explosion along with confetti. That brief moment makes the fatigue of standing for hours disappear all at once.

After the New Year's event, Times Square presents a different scene. The ground is piled high with confetti, and people laugh while taking pictures with each other. Just moments ago, they were strangers, but a strange sense of kinship arises simply because they shared the same moment.

Personally, I feel that the New Year's event at Times Square is closer to a ritual than a festival. It is a confirmation that one has endured a year and a declaration that another year begins. The reason why the simple scene of a single ball dropping has been maintained for decades lies there.

The New Year's event in Times Square is uncomfortable. It is cold, you have to stand for a long time, and you cannot move freely. Yet, people gather again every year. Perhaps celebrating the New Year in New York is driven by the desire to stand, even for a moment, in the midst of the energy this city possesses.

So, when January 1st arrives, Times Square returns to normal, but New York's New Year begins like this every year.