10. Creepers are everywhere. Although you don't see it at first, you have to get good at determining which people to make eye contact with on the streets and which to avoid. Anyone passing out flyers, sleeping on the ground, or shouting that your palms are very interesting and he must read your future, needs to be avoided. I was followed for the first time yesterday for several blocks, just to be asked by some rando on a bike if he could invite me to a party. How were we getting there, ET style?
9. The subways aren't that bad. Besides the occasional rat in the subway tracks, they're actually pretty clean. The subway cars are even air conditioned, so if you haven't passed out from waiting on the humid subway platform, you can enjoy that. I've only conquered the 6 train so far, but it's a wonder what Google maps and subway apps can do these days.
8. It is very hard to tell tourists and locals apart. Well, maybe this is something I haven't really learned how to do yet, but I have learned that more than half the people in NYC are either tourists or not originally from here. When I'm lost, which happens almost once an hour, it is really hard for me to pick out a person that I think will know how to point me in the right direction. The last guy I asked for help didn't speak English.
7. I have an accent. And apparently it sounds Southern. My worst fear has really happened! All this time I thought I was Blair Waldorf, but instead I sound like Dolly Parton to these New Yorkers. Southern Illinois has rubbed off on me in all the wrong ways.
6. Most of the people in this city are extremely nice. Wherever I go, I find people to help me. Whether it's with directions, or teaching me how to buy a subway ticket, people have gone out of their way to help me without me even asking. There have been a few Debbie Downers, but what city doesn't have some of those?
5. New York is a lot safer than St. Louis. I know #10 talked about creepers, and there definitely are, but most of them are harmless. There's so many people walking around at most hours of the day, and there's cops strolling around wherever you look. I could never walk for hours in St. Louis downtown, but here I can and I don't feel unsafe. I'm still getting some mace though, just in case.
4. Most places don't ID you. Why go to PCB for Spring Break, when you can go to NYC, not get carded and not have to pay cover? Sounds much more fun. Plus, NYC hasn't made me a bad tequila sunrise yet. Three points for New York, zero points for Trax.
3. You can dress however you want, and you'll be accepted. Maybe not totally true, I did see a guy (I think it was a guy) dressed in a long Matrix-like coat and a hat with a feather on it that was at least 5 feet tall. People took pictures. But when you go to Times Square or a busy neighborhood like it, you see that kind of stuff all the time. But at least I know when I go out or walk around during the day, I can dress up or dress down, and I'm never over or under dressed.
2. New York is all about networking. Yes, Greek Life didn't lie; networking is important, and it's the only way to survive in this city. The more people you meet, the more people can help you find a job, meet friends, and teach you the ropes of this city. I love that everywhere I go I meet someone completely different than the last person I met. There are so many people here and so many unique personalities, and it's great to know wherever I go, I'll meet someone interesting.
1. New York can't compare to what you see on TV. The Upper East Side really is as magical as it seems on Gossip Girl. But most movies and TV shows don't do it justice. I've spent the last 3 days just walking around for hours and hours, and I haven't been bored yet. There's a million things to do and see, and I've only just scratched the surface.
xoxo
Ms. Manhattan
9. The subways aren't that bad. Besides the occasional rat in the subway tracks, they're actually pretty clean. The subway cars are even air conditioned, so if you haven't passed out from waiting on the humid subway platform, you can enjoy that. I've only conquered the 6 train so far, but it's a wonder what Google maps and subway apps can do these days.
8. It is very hard to tell tourists and locals apart. Well, maybe this is something I haven't really learned how to do yet, but I have learned that more than half the people in NYC are either tourists or not originally from here. When I'm lost, which happens almost once an hour, it is really hard for me to pick out a person that I think will know how to point me in the right direction. The last guy I asked for help didn't speak English.
7. I have an accent. And apparently it sounds Southern. My worst fear has really happened! All this time I thought I was Blair Waldorf, but instead I sound like Dolly Parton to these New Yorkers. Southern Illinois has rubbed off on me in all the wrong ways.
6. Most of the people in this city are extremely nice. Wherever I go, I find people to help me. Whether it's with directions, or teaching me how to buy a subway ticket, people have gone out of their way to help me without me even asking. There have been a few Debbie Downers, but what city doesn't have some of those?
5. New York is a lot safer than St. Louis. I know #10 talked about creepers, and there definitely are, but most of them are harmless. There's so many people walking around at most hours of the day, and there's cops strolling around wherever you look. I could never walk for hours in St. Louis downtown, but here I can and I don't feel unsafe. I'm still getting some mace though, just in case.
4. Most places don't ID you. Why go to PCB for Spring Break, when you can go to NYC, not get carded and not have to pay cover? Sounds much more fun. Plus, NYC hasn't made me a bad tequila sunrise yet. Three points for New York, zero points for Trax.
3. You can dress however you want, and you'll be accepted. Maybe not totally true, I did see a guy (I think it was a guy) dressed in a long Matrix-like coat and a hat with a feather on it that was at least 5 feet tall. People took pictures. But when you go to Times Square or a busy neighborhood like it, you see that kind of stuff all the time. But at least I know when I go out or walk around during the day, I can dress up or dress down, and I'm never over or under dressed.
2. New York is all about networking. Yes, Greek Life didn't lie; networking is important, and it's the only way to survive in this city. The more people you meet, the more people can help you find a job, meet friends, and teach you the ropes of this city. I love that everywhere I go I meet someone completely different than the last person I met. There are so many people here and so many unique personalities, and it's great to know wherever I go, I'll meet someone interesting.
1. New York can't compare to what you see on TV. The Upper East Side really is as magical as it seems on Gossip Girl. But most movies and TV shows don't do it justice. I've spent the last 3 days just walking around for hours and hours, and I haven't been bored yet. There's a million things to do and see, and I've only just scratched the surface.
xoxo
Ms. Manhattan