*Cue New York, New York in the background*
Welcome to New York City, the concrete jungle, the city that never sleeps… Like the song says, If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere. Emphasis on making it there because it’s not as easy as it sounds.
I moved to Manhattan around two years ago. Even though I’ve made bigger moves, there is just something about THE City that makes transitioning to the Big Apple all the more unique.
I’ve taken detailed notes on most of the lessons learned on moving and integrating to the City, and for the sake of knowledge- sharing, I decided to blog about it!
Let start with the #1 hot topic when moving to NYC for the first time: Apartment hunting.
Apartment Hunting
We’ve all been there, and if we haven’t, we’ve heard nightmares about it. Actually moving to the city can be a headache- to put it lightly. Before you go haywire or worst yet, make a very naïve mistake, please take note on my very own experiences.
Research Neighborhood
Upper East Side is VERY different than the LES (Lower East Side). Midtown is not like Harlem. Heck, East, West, and Central Harlem are all different in their own way. Sometimes, one or two avenues could make a huge difference in atmosphere and even in pricing. Visit the neighborhoods, go to its restaurants, talk to the locals, and read online reviews. What subway lines run through the neighborhood? How far away is it from your work? Write these down. They are some of the questions you should be asking yourself.
Know your limits
Because New York City is one of the most expensive cities in the world, they are pretty strict regarding the apartments tenant’s are allowed to apply to. For example, you can only apply for an apartment for which your salary is 40 times the monthly rent. Yes, you read right: FORTY. And even then, it is recommended that you shoot for lower. Between utilities, transportation, food, and other miscellaneous expenses, it won’t take long for you to find out how bills can quickly add up. Also, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to save some money on the side. Unless you’re coming in with a ridiculous salary (which means you’ll probably be in investments/banking and will have no life anyways), I suggest you go well under your budget, at least for the first year. You’ll thank me later.
Don’t fall in a scam
Believe it or not, some apartment ads might be scams. Within weeks of moving to NYC, I saw this ad for an apartment that seemed like a good deal. I went to check the neighborhood out, and if I liked what I saw, I’d contact the broker. I searched and searched for 520, passing through 518 which went straight to 522, but no 520 in sight. When I went back to check, they had pulled the ad down. Everything might have been a crazy coincidence, but it’s NYC we are talking about. You have to be street smart here too.
Other scams might relate to the apartment itself. You want to make sure the place looks like the ad you saw online. If there are major differences, play it safe and look somewhere else.
Read the fine print
Let’s say you finally found that apartment you love- or at least one your budget really likes- and you’re ready to lock it up. You’ve visited the place, and have inspected every single corner there is to make sure everything is good to go. I would actually encourage you to do this at least twice before you commit. The broker showing my apartment told me one of his friends signed a one-year contract in a building where the front-door neighbor smoked non-stop with the door open. When she tried to sublet, she was caught off-guard by the contract, which leads me to my main point: READ THE FINE PRINT. Most contracts will be standard, but make sure you are aware of all the caveats before signing. (This also applies to everything in life relating to contracts).
The process
When I searched for apartments back in college, I was able to secure my lease up to a year before actually moving in. Unfortunately, that’s not necessarily the same case for NYC. Unless you’re willing to pay the months you won’t be living there just to lock up the apartment, you’re just going to have to be physically present to start the process. Some brokers won’t even show a person an apartment unless they’re looking to move in within a month to a few weeks if not right away. This means that, you’ll probably have to couch surf for a little bit or have your company pay for a hotel until you get a place. With that being said, the time between applying for an apartment, getting accepted, and moving in is quite quick. It took me 2-3 weeks between finding the place, doing the paper work, and actually moving in. I’ve heard some people do it in less and others in a bit more.
Best time?
If there is one thing certain about the real estate market in NYC is that it’s usually quite dynamic. The best times to move are in the fall. That’s when I started my lease (November specifically) as per the advice of a few friends, and it paid off. Avoid summer at all costs. Many tend to move during this time, and prices are generally higher. Winters, on the other hand, are less busy, which can make finding an apartment harder, but prices are lower. Depending on the time and location, you might even be able to negotiate renter’s fee and one or two months free. Check out this linked by Curbed for more info.
Getting Around
NYC MTA
… you either love it or you hate it. The MTA encompasses subways, busses, the Long Island Railroad (LIRR), and the Metro-North (in case you need to go up to White Plains for any reason). The one you’ll probably use the most is the subway and perhaps the bus here or there. Subways can be confusing, not to mention filthy af (as most of New York City). When I first started taking the subways, I used to have Purells in all my bags; a newbie-New-Yorker thing. After a while, you stop caring. Though, I’m proud I mastered being able to stand up without having to hold on to the rails!!!!
For me, one of the most crucial tips to keep in mind when taking the subways is to always, always, always give yourself some spare time. Trains delay, work at an extra slow pace at times, and could even be so packed that you’ll have to wait for the next subway. The last one usually happens during rush hours, which go from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. I’m not exaggerating when I say they are one of the reasons New Yorkers get headaches. The spare time will depend on where you are and where you’re going. I usually try to give myself at least 20 to 30 minutes. I’ve learned the hard way that it’s better to be early than to be really, really late.
Uber and Cabs
Speaking about being late, DON’T EVER TAKE UBER OR A CAB DURING RUSH HOUR. Not if you’re running super duper late, not if you think there won’t be traffic, not if you make up a million excuses NOT to take the subway. You will regret it and so will your wallet. It’s easy to fall into the trap of “Oh, I’m running late. I’ll get an Uber or a cab because it’s easier”. I have been late to events and have been left waiting with the same cup of coffee because of this mistake. Traffic in NYC during rush hour is no joke, especially if you have to cross from East to West and vice versa. My advice is that you stick with subways for the major part of the trip, and perhaps take an Uber or cab for the last leg.
Other than that, Uber and cabs are usually comparable. Uber, however, gets more expensive during rush hours, while cabs stick to the same rate. I didn’t include Lyft on here since I only used it once. Moreover, another app is Via. Up until the last time I used it, they charged $5 for rides within Manhattan. The caveat is that it’s carpooled with other people, so the trip might take a while.
Walking
My uncle would always make fun of us when he came to visit Puerto Rico because of how little we walked to places. It’s not only the fact that New Yorkers walk a lot, but also that they’re doing it at such a fast-pace.
During my commute to my first day of work, I learned that you never ever ever ever walk in heels around the City. Your feet will bleed out, and those expensive work shoes will suffer. Do yourself a favor and get a comfy pair of “walking shoes” for the commute. I used to store my actual office shoes in a drawer at work and would change into them there. This is perhaps the best advice on this blog, so take note!
Bikes
Because I don’t want to die, I have never ridden a bicycle in the City. Citi Bikes are popular for those who are willing to risk their lives. You can get a day pass for $12 and cruise through Central Park or the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s a jungle out there, so watch out for everything.
Socializing and building your circle
New York City alone has around 8.5 million people, according to the US Census Bureau from 2016. It is the most populated city in the United States. A lot of people think a densely populated city makes it easier to build one’s network and inner circles. Nevertheless, I found it to be the opposite in NYC.
Stand-off-ish culture
In my experience, being surrounded by so many people made it difficult for me to make solid connections. NYC, as you can imagine, is not the place where you can just go to a bar and suddenly make new best friends (been there; done that). People are involved in their groups, and when they go out, they are among each other. This is why having one’s own network is that much more important.
I came here knowing about 5 people, and it took me around a year to build my own group of friends. It takes time, and it’s probably similar for anyone who moves to a new place. My advice is that you tap into people from you school, your cultural communities, and or hobbies. What helped me was going to the same places/taking classes. Coinciding with the same people, especially if you all are passionate about the similar things, more often than not turns into friendships. Bomba classes did just that for me except I was fortunate to have made a family ❤
Scheduling
Life here is a constant hustle. You are on the go from the moment you wake up to the moment you fall asleep. As energetic as I am, it took me a while to get used to the lifestyle. With that being said, the greater part of socializing in NYC happens during happy hours/drinks, brunches, and dinners.
I quickly found out that New Yorkers do not have flexible schedules. Many of these social events are scheduled two weeks in advanced as a standard time-frame. It’s not always the case that you can wake up and call someone to meet you for lunch within an hour. The City drains you, and in order to survive with some sanity, you need time for yourself, which is the reason people block hours off just for that. The secret is in creating a balance between being around the crazy bustle and being completely alone watching Netflix for hours. So get on the scheduling bus and fill up that calendar!
Social Etiquette
First things first: when you go out and the bill comes, everyone hands in their card to have it split. It doesn’t matter if you barely ate from the appetizer or if you had the least expensive dish. That’s just what you do here. Unless you’re going to treat the other(s) next time or it’s your birthday, put in your card. Don’t be that jerk.
This brings me to tipping. NYC is dead serious about the 18% tipping minimum for anything and everything; movers, nails, restaurants, drinks, etc. I wasn’t used to this at first, and I know other countries don’t even enforce a tipping culture. Unless you want a very angry bartender yelling at you for not tipping at all or not tipping enough (as I saw happen to an acquaintance #papelón), suck it in and tip up.
Underrated things to do
There are SO MANY things to do in NYC. There are blogs dedicated to that, so I won’t even bother to list them here. However, I used Course Horse for the the days I didn’t have anyone to hang out with but was fed up from hours of Game of Thrones. The website has almost everything; from art to language to martial arts classes. I did a few on my own and have recommended it to newbie New Yorkers who have said it helped them get out a bit more.
What about social/dating apps?
Up to you. Tinder is, of course, not a friend-making app. I think we all know this by now. (Although, I have met some pretty cute couples that have met on the app). Of the rest, I used Bumble to make friends, and even though I only used it for a bit, it did work! I think the trick for any of these apps is to actually meet up with the person and not just stick to messages. If you’re feeling bold, give it a go and see what happens!
When I first move, someone told me the challenge was making it past the first year mark. If I did that, I could go anywhere (like our friend Sinatra said). Looking back, I couldn’t agree more. NYC is a tough-love kind of place. The City will break and make you and will give you a hell of a bullet-proof skin.
As you start (or continue) your NYC chapter, my wish is that you take advantage of it to the fullest. Cry, laugh, quit, and start over gain. Not everyone can write this chapter in his or her life, so consider yourself lucky, and work hard but always remember to play harder.
Cheers!
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