We are back with a New York Q&A post! I’ve been pretty hush-hush about the move and my experiences thus far solely due to the craziness of trying to adjust to life here. However, a storytime post breaking down everything that’s happened and my journey living in NY will be coming soon! So, keep reading for a bit about my decisions to re-locate, what I’ve learned, advice to those contemplating moving, and just for my readers a New York Spotify playlist! I’ve included a few songs that don’t necessarily feature the city much but more so match my mood and the landscape here. Hope you like it!
1. Where are you in New York?
Everywhere! I’m renting a bunch of short terms rooms until I move into the Grad dorms at NYU end of this month. I’ve lived in Brownsville, Williamsburg, a couple of nights in Harlem and lastly Great Neck, Long Island.
2. Why did you decide to move to New York?
I’ve always wanted to live in New York. I made a plan a few years ago that I would move to the east coast in the next three to five years and here we are! Plus I had a job with an office in Chelsea that I could transfer too, my school is here, some family, and an amazing writing community.
3. Why now?
Timing. Such deliberate timing I couldn’t ignore it, everything was lining up telling me to do it. I also got some great advice from a family friend that told me to simply “go for it” and take the risk. Shoutout Amy!
4. Did you know anyone in New York?
I have some family and friends here and new acquaintances from my first residency at school so I didn’t feel like I was moving entirely alone. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to rely on family a couple of times when need be.
5. What is your favorite thing about New York so far?
Accessibility. Opportunities for new experiences are all around you; outside your door or a train ride away.
6. What is your least favorite thing about New York?
How socially taxing it can be, as an introvert I’ve had to amp up my self-care and create workarounds to maintain inner peace and healthy energies. I love big cities but NYC is another level of busy, even quiet neighborhoods and boroughs can be taxing. Being around so many people and not being able to get away from them can be draining.
7. What has the been the hardest thing to adjust too?
A cross between the socially taxing aspect and the weather. Coming from the Bay Area where we don’t get snow has been pretty difficult. Living in snowy weather where no matter what life goes on and you just have to deal with the annoyance of being out in snow constantly has been pretty hard to adjust too.
8. What has been the most difficult thing about moving across the country?
Knowing that my closest family is inaccessible. Being away from my family on the daily isn’t bad but the fact that if I’m feeling like I want to be with a loved one or home and simply cannot have been hard. Staying busy and working on building my life here has really helped though.
9. What are your favorite places in New York?
I love Harlem and SOHO but also anywhere there’s a park, like Washington Square or Madison Square Park. Central Park is too cold for me right now!
10. What has your Subway experience been like?
Surprising excellent. My pre-move trip in September was helpful interms of familiarizing myself with the subway. Since moving I haven’t gotten lost much and if I get confused it’s easy to look up and re-calibrate. Once you understand Uptown vs. Downtown you’re good to go. The CityMapper app is a lifesaver!
11. What advice can you give to people considering moving to New York?
I have so much to share and I may do a separate post about this but here are a “few” suggestions:
- Do your research! Learn everything you need to know about navigating your new daily routine.
- Connect with mutual friends or go out of your way to make connections if you don’t know anyone.
- Set up appointments to connect with new doctors, pharmacies for prescriptions, local urgent care centers in your neighborhood, etc. You want to be prepared for all possible situations that may happen.
- Prepare yourself for shit to hit the fan because survival and thriving depend on your ability to pivot. Challenges may be large or small but just be prepared for anything.
- Plan days to do fun things; this will help you maintain joy and excitement about the move if things are difficult at first.
- Save money by taking the subway/bus and DO NOT take yellow cabs. The meter and minimum price will get you every time, ride-share apps are more cost-effective.
Your New York playlist
That’s it lovelies, I hope you enjoyed this New York move Q&A! I’ll be back with more NY posts soon! Of course, as I’ve said and will always say, do yourself a favor and SUBSCRIBE TO THE TFTM NEWSLETTER HUN! Subscribers get the scoop before anyone else plus exclusive treats not found on the blog! Scroll down, enter your email and join the TFTM fam. Have you made a big move or live in NY? Share tips or cool stories below and let’s chat!