When you think of New York, what do you imagine? Skyscrapers? Times Square? Broadway shows?
Well, all those things do make up a big part of New York but when I think of NYC, the top things that comes to mind are smelly subways and loneliness.
As ironic as it sounds, NYC is an extremely lonely city. Walking in the streets of NYC can be both a thrilling but depressing experience at the same time. Walking or running but mostly running to work, on these busy streets have made me realized that I’m just another person. 1 out of the other millions of other people commuting and rushing to work. If you take your eyes off of your phone, you see that people are so caught up in their own lives and that you and I simply don’t exist. We’re just another person taking up space in the already crowded city.
Don’t get me wrong, having been born and raised in NYC, I am grateful to have been born in such an amazing, diverse and cultured city. I am especially proud to be from Queens, NY.
I have a love-hate relationship with the city. And I think it’s very common for most New Yorkers to feel this way. Only a true New Yorker would really understand this feeling.
Why I love New York:
Food/Cuisine:
New York City is one of the greatest food cities in the world! Not only can you find almost any type of food but also the BEST food. There are endless options and varieties to choose from when it comes to food. There are more than 20,000 restaurants in NYC alone!
Tourists need to spend more time in all the outer boroughs and not just Manhattan. That’s where all the best food is!
Diversity:
New York City is famous for its ethnic diversity and communities represent virtually every nation on earth!
Whether you’re taking a train ride or getting a cup of coffee, if you listen, you will notice that there are at least always 5+ different languages being spoken. I always joked around that my church congregation and college classes looked like the U.N and this is a pretty accurate description of how diverse NYC is.
Many people know about Manhattan or Brooklyn but usually do not know much about Queens. With more than 132 nationalities represented by its residents, Queens is, in fact, one of the most diverse places in the world. NYC is so much more than just Manhattan.
Why I don’t like New York:
1) The crowded trains and long commute. According to the Daily News, it was shown that New Yorkers spend an average of 48 minutes commuting. New Yorkers also have the longest commute times in the U.S.
The trains are smelly, often delayed, and the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) keeps hiking up their prices!
2) Expensive everything.
Rent, food, clothes, drinks….everything.
Yes it is possible to find affordable places in NY but for the most part, everything is expensive.
The average rent for available apartments in New York City is now over $3,000!
New Yorkers always tell people that we live in a “closet.” And believe it or not, it’s almost actually true. A lot of New Yorkers pay a ludicrous amount of money to live in the west/east village, Manhattan to end up living in an apartment so small that you can barely breathe.
On the flipside, I’m so happy to be living in my parents spacious house in Queens.
Thank you God! At my age I’m quite embarrassed to still be living at home, but I’d rather pass on the $2,000+ rent for my TINY apartment.
3) Hustle and Bustle
NYC is an exciting city. But its frenetic buzz can be frightening for some people. It’s true that NYC is a hustle and bustle city. Also it’s a city where you have to work your ass off to make it here. NYC can eat you alive. Living and working in this city can also be very draining. The good thing is that many people say that if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. I’d have to agree.
NYC is truly a fantastic city. It’s not for everyone but everyone should visit this city at least once in their lifetime.