5 Things I Learned from Living in NYC
I moved to New York at 21 for a six-month internship. This was my first internship, my first job working every day, and my first time living in a BIG city. Living in New York was by far the most exciting and chaotic time in my life. But now I’m itching to move back! Don’t get me wrong, there were absolutely times I cried on the subway (going in the wrong direction). At those times, I thought, “Why did I do this to myself.” However, once my six months were coming to an end, New York felt like home. Below are the most important things I learned while living in the big apple.
Learning to go With the Flow
New York transformed me into a go with the flow kind-of-gal. For instance, when I first moved to New York, if the train had a delay, and I thought I would be late for work. I would jog from the train station until about a block from my building. I soon realized that you can’t plan everything. Sometimes you need to get somewhere you but have to take 3 different trains to get there. I learned that at times it was quicker to walk 20 minutes than to wait on the train. Sometimes you’re on time, but you have to pass on two trains because they are too full. Sometimes, it’s just one of those days when you run down the train station’s steps, and the train is leaving as soon as you get there. Transportation can be tricky in NY, even by car or uber. That is something you just have to get used to. You have to learn that if you want to have a plan, it should be a loose plan.
You Must Have a Budget… and Follow it
Things are expensive in New York, like 10 dollars for a beer expensive. For a night out, that QUICKLY adds up. Things are so readily available food, shopping, and entertainment on every. single. corner. When I first moved, I was blowing all my paycheck on new clothes and eating out. After a few weeks of that, I shortly realized I could not afford that. When I say things in New York are expensive, I mean everything, food, rent, Ubers, coffee. If you’ve lived in a big city before, this probably isn’t new to you. However, for me, paying 5-6 dollars for coffee was wild. When creating a budget, I would factor in rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, eating out, and going out. Make sure you have a budget and are sticking to it as best you can!
Making Friends/Finding Your Group is Important
I believe that making friends and finding your group is one of the most important things you can do when moving to a new city! I thankfully made such awesome friends. They are the reason New York felt like home as soon as it did. It’s nice to hang out with people after work or on the weekends. They were able to teach me about the city and, most importantly, the subway. We were able to explore the city together. We tried new places and went to new stores, but we found our go-to-places among all of our explorings. I believe that once you find your go-to-places and learn how to get around, things will start to feel more like home. I can understand how NY could be incredibly lonely if you move by yourself. If you are moving to NY and don’t know anyone at all. My advice is to chat with your roommates, join a group, volunteer, or try to make friends at work! Invite people to get coffee, lunch, or to see a show/performance. Most importantly, PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE!
~Mishy, Leyla, Sade, Maddie, & Kelsey - I love you & miss you!
The Bagels Really are Better
This was something I was uber skeptical about. I honestly thought there was no way the bagels could be that much better. However, I was incredibly wrong. These bagels are so fluffy! It’s like eating a cloud, a very delicious cloud slathered with cream cheese. The bagels are better because NY has hard water, which makes the dough softer and more fluffy. If you’re visiting NY, you have to try one. It will ruin any other kind of bagel for you, but it’s worth it. I miss waking up on Saturday and walking to go get my morning bagel.
New York Taught me to be Uniquely Myself
NY taught me to care less about what other people think. The longer I spent in NY, the more I felt like I could wear, buy, and do whatever I wanted. I grew up in a tiny town where I was continually trying to fit in. When I moved to New York, I didn’t feel like I had to act, dress, or be a certain way. You will see so many different personalities in NY. I loved to see people embracing their different styles and not being afraid to stand out. It was incredibly inspiring to me that I could be whoever I wanted to be. New York broke me out of my box in every way. It helped me grow as a person. I am very thankful for the opportunity I had to live in such a fantastic city.
Please leave me a comment with any opinions, thoughts, or questions!