THE TRUTH ABOUT LIVING IN NYC
What’s up Everybody!?!? I have officially lived in NYC for 2 WHOLE MONTHS!! To celebrate this life milestone, I thought it would be a good time to write a blog discussing the truth of living in the city that never sleeps. So, to anyone looking to move to this magical land of no sleep and 24 hour coffee shops (bless up) tune in and take notes!
· THE PEOPLE
· Before moving I remember everyone telling me “don’t become a rude new Yorker,” or something to that extent. Making it sound like people of New York are complete jerks with no regard for others or simple pleasantries. This I have found to be not true! Sure, there’s jerks, but that’s everywhere if you look hard enough. One major adjustment I have had to get used to is the lack of little things like opening doors for others, using yes/no ma’am/sir. That really isn’t as prominent here as in Texas, but doing these little things typically gets me praise from strangers and is a great Segway into conversation! Honestly some of the nicest people I have met are clients/employees of Orange Theory in this area. They welcomed me with open arms and I am so grateful for them!
· PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WILL BE YOUR BEST FRIEND
· Are you a germaphobe? Hate being in tight quarters with others? Don’t like relying on other transportation methods aside from your car? Then NYC might not be ideal for you. Sure, you can get around the city without using subways and busses, but you will either sweat your face off from walking, or must sell your kidneys thanks to an astronomical Uber bill. Also, if you plan on bringing a car, prepare to pay for parking and LOOK AT THE PARKING SIGNS. I’m like 90% sure NYC parking tickets are what’s going to bring America out of debt. Thankfully, I had great teachers to help me learn the subway system and it has made my life incredibly easy! I 12 out of 10 recommend public transportation (unless you’re a trillionaire).
· COST OF LIVING
· From a statistical standpoint, the cost of living in NYC vs. Texas is close to 70% higher, while the average salary is only 40% higher. Now I’m not great at math (College dropout LOL), but I know those numbers aren’t ideal. If you plan on moving to the city to starting from scratch as I did here’s some tips;
· Have AT LEAST $10,000 saved and be prepared to spend most of it.
· Know that any apartment you want to rent will typically ask for first month’s rent, a security deposit, PLUS a broker’s fee day 1. Broker’s fee will usually be 15% of annual rent. This alone has the potential to set you back close to $6,000. So, I would recommend finding roommates!
· Understand that you don’t have to live in NYC. There are plenty of surrounding areas in Brooklyn and Jersey that have cheaper options with more space. As long as public transportation is close, the city is usually only a 30-40-minute commute.
· PREPARE to spend AT LEAST $40 a day when going to the city. Food is not cheap and neither is anything else.
· DIVERSITY
· One thing that I was not prepared for was the diversity of the people here. In Texas, there’s like an 80% chance people you see will be White, Mexican, or black. NOT IN NEW YORK. I was sitting a restaurant yesterday and literally had 4 groups of people speaking 4 different languages around me. Blew my mind, I really wanted to know what they were all saying (probably talking about how great my skinny jeans look… AM I RIGHT?!?). In all honesty it’s pretty amazing to see the cultural diversity.
· UNDERSTAND THAT TIME WORKS DIFFERENTLY HERE
· We have all heard that NYC is the city that never sleeps, right?? IT IS 1000000% true. Literally there is always something going on. If you plan on moving here, MANAGE your time! It is way too easy to completely lose a day doing nothing productive. Having a legit planner will make your life hella easy.
Accurate representation of all New Yorkers
· THE OPPORTUNITIES HERE ARE UNREAL
· I mean this when I say I have had more opportunities come my way in 2 months of living in NYC than I ever had in Lubbock. This is IN NO WAY a slight on Lubbock. I love Lubbock, it will always be my hometown and always be a huge part of my life. However, I think we can all agree it’s not a huge market for entrepreneurs. There’s just something about this place I can’t really describe. It has this energy about it. This energy that consumes all that want something more out of their life. Every opportunity we as individuals could want is literally at our fingertips in New York. It is truly an unreal experience. An experience that I think more people need to go through.
It’s funny looking back, thinking how scared I was to pick up my life and start over. I remember being filled with fear at times, thinking I would fail within a month and be crawling back to my parents’ house in utter shame (still very possible). There’s one last thing I want to leave here for advice to ANYONE looking for a change in their life. WORK YOUR FKING FACE OFF. Literally, work your ass off and I promise no matter what life change you’re making will be successful.
