20 Things I Learned While Living in New York City

August 13, 2014

20 Things I Learned While Living in New York City

It is honestly so strange sitting here writing this. I’m on my couch, now bare of comfy blankets and over-stuffed pillows, looking at an amour with little more than a candle with little less than an hour left to burn. The rest of my apartment is a disheveled sea of boxes with barely anything left on the walls, things like pictures and hand-written notes by friends from nights we don’t remember.

By tomorrow, my furniture and mattress will be gone and I’ll have no choice but to hunker down at the Mercer Hotel with my mum (I’m not complaining!) for my last night in New York. With so little time left here, I wanted to compile a fun, sometimes sarcastic, but ultimately hopefully a helpful list of what I’ve learned while living in New York City for a whole summer on my own. Take a look and if you live in New York I hope you laugh and nod along in agreement, and if you don’t, I hope I either inspire you to try New York at some point or that you find maybe some of these apply to your own town. Enjoy.

20 Things I Learned While Living in New York City

1. Meet strangers. Everyone you love began as one.

2. Take initiative at work and at home. Have a few minutes? Dedicate them to something you're going to be thankful you did tomorrow.

3. Eat out. Who knows the next time you'll be in this city.

4. Bring your phone charger everywhere. Someone will thank you.

5. Learning your local trains' schedules can be a serious lifesaver when running late.

6. Offer your help. Take others'.

7. Walk around without headphones every now and then. You'd be surprised how much you miss.

8. Wear color. It makes the office a bit more bearable.

9. You're never going to have fun if you're wearing uncomfortable shoes.

10. You have an internship. No one cares.

11. Getting out of Manhattan every now and then can save your life— Cape Cod is always a good idea.

12. When you make a mistake, apologize. Now, get over it.

13. Whether you live in New York City or Newcastle, Nebraska, there is always something worth exploring. Go outside.

14. Smile.

15. Call home. You have no idea how much it means to your parents/ grandparents/ siblings and also, you might be surprised how much it can brighten your own day.

16. Times Square is the enemy. Avoid at all costs. Avoid anyone who disagrees: they are either delusional, or worse— a tourist.

17. Always carry a pen. A book as well if you can swing it.

18. Sometimes you think you're going to love something and you end up not. That's okay. It's even good actually— ruling out something is just as important as officially deciding it's for you.

19. Take pictures. The memories might not last forever, but these will.

And last but not least, number 20: never say no to new adventures. When my friend Olivia asked a friend of hers for advice before moving to New York, he told her just this. Never say no.