Adjusting to NYC (Trust me, it's almost been a year -- I'm still trying to get a hang of thi
Current status: sitting at SFO with a delayed flight and avoiding finishing up this community assessment assignment due Monday.
So... why not write this blog post?
Coming from San Francisco, a city which I considered a pretty diverse community, I thought -- "New York City, it'll be just like SF but with more people and taller buildings!" WRONG. Kind of. Throughout this post, I'll probably be comparing NYC to SF.
CITY LIFE:
San Francisco is a major city, but there are definitely parts of it that are a lot more calm -- houses with large front yards, back yards, areas to ride your bike with children, etc. NYC is always jam packed full of people. Everywhere you go! If you want true city life, NYC is the perfect example of it. There are definitely areas of NYC that are more residential and less commercial. I confess out of my years growing up in SF, I never really did much going out and exploring. I have gotten to do that a lot more in NYC. You will NOT be bored. There are tons to eat and do in NYC.
TRANSPORTATION:
I never used the Muni (bus) system in SF that much. My parents never really found it that safe, so I also didn't go out a lot that much growing up in SF. We drove everywhere! Most of the time.
In NYC, the subway system is THE WAY TO GO! Super convenient. Super easy to learn. And that's coming from me... a girl who never really used public transportation at all growing up. When the trains are delayed or not running that day... it can be a real bee itch. Had a couple of those -- but there are always other routes to get to your destination.
Here are some apps I suggest (besides using Google Maps which can actually be pretty good itself) -->
((I believe Citymapper is a free app and Transit costs money))
CLEANLINESS:
I'm also used to the smell of urine on the streets, stench of weed as you get off the bus, and litter on the ground, so this wasn't that big of a surprise to me when I moved to NYC. There seems to be less use of actual garbage cans provided by the city though. In NYC, the site of just large ass garbage bags piled on the side-walk are common. Looks pretty gross and off-putting, but guess it works for this city. But honestly, there's always gonna be loads of garbage in large cities. Subways are generally clean, but I always keep hand sanitizer on me. I also don't sit on my bed in my street clothes.
DIVERSITY:
SF and California in general contains a pretty rich, diverse community itself. But NYC actually gave me a little culture shock. I'm not going to lie about it. I guess the actual neighborhood I grew up in and the neighborhood I went to undergrad were very populated in just a handful of races and ethnicities. However, having come into NYC, I am seeing so much more. It was really eye opening and pretty cool the more I spent time traveling around by foot and by subway. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you aren't too used to being surrounded by a truly diverse community, NYC will open your eyes to that.
WEATHER:
Good weather in California...the sun... the ocean breeze... who doesn't love it???
Finally getting to experience the 4 seasons in NYC!
SUMMER: I moved into NYC in the summer... it was hot.. it was humid. Most days ranged from 75-90 F. Humidity is definitely a thing here! ALSO -- something super important I never really experienced in California -- sun showers! It would just sprinkle or rain in this hot weather! I bought myself a really light waterproof jacket from Patagonia since you don't want to be wearing some thick jacket in 80 degree weather.
FALL: Beautiful weather in the Fall. The leaves start changing colors, the air gets crisper and cooler. You can start to bring out your scarves and cute booties and boots. Nothing really to complain about for the Fall.
WINTER: Eeps, the cold in NYC is... HELLA COLD.
Bear with me as I get all clothing-crazed for this segment of the post (These are what I have to help get me through the Winter, but to each their own!) -->
Time to wear your gloves (I bought a couple of leather gloves with touch screen capability -- I bought mine at Bloomingdale's Outlet, Nordstrom Rack, and Marshall's)
Ear muffs (so cute hehe, Ugg ones are pretty thick and durable, but you can find really affordable ones at department stores like Macy's)
Beanies (starting to warm up to the idea of wearing beanies -- the ones with the pom at the top are fun)
Scarves
Warm socks
Tall rain boots - especially when the snow starts to melt and get all slushy and gross - I own a pair of kids size (cheaper) Hunter rain boots: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/hunter-original-rain-boot-little-kid-big-kid/3736805?origin=category-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=BLACK
Casual boots that are both waterproof and good for the Fall as well –
Bought a pair of Merrell tall boots -- https://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Captiva-Buckle-Up-Waterproof-Espresso/dp/B00HF6R820/ref=sr_1_13?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1489871927&sr=1-13&nodeID=679380011&refinements=p_89%3AMerrell%2Cp_n_size_browse-vebin%3A1285131011%2Cp_n_size_two_browse-vebin%3A5391080011&psc=1
(They seem to have increased in price! Eeps! I bought mine for around $60) -- but they're super warm and do extremely well in the snow
LL Bean Duck Boots (kids size again heh) - and they also have the thinsulate lining! https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/503719?originalProduct=43134&productId=725401&attrValue_0=Tan/Brown&pla1=0&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&qs=3125267_google&lsft=qs:3125267_google,product:0BMR870060&gclid=CjwKEAjwtbPGBRDhoLaqn6HknWsSJABR-o5s1ZVZYcW7lzHg_OGh-Z1EzcPo6mq1b_SqKUw16fg-uRoCorPw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds (buy them sooner then later - they sell out fast!)
Winter coat! I have three coats that I like to wear for colder weather –
This one for when it’s SUPER unbearably cold and it’s actually snowing -- https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/womens-far-northern-waterproof-parka-nf0a2tak-c1?variationId=MXU
Got it for a little over $100 at the North Face OUTLET
This casual one for when it’s cold, not snowing, but I need to keep warm (also worn a lot during the Fall when it’s starting to get cold) -- https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/113186?feat=waxed%20jacket-SR0&page=town-and-field-waxed-wool-jacket-plaid&csp=a&attrValue_1=Medium&attrValue_0=Coffee%20Liqueur&productId=1393414
Barbour is also a really good brand for these types of coats
This one for when I want to dress a little more chic but I also don’t want to freeze my butt off -- https://www.madewell.com/madewell_category/JACKETSANDOUTERWEAR/Outerwear/PRD~F4882/F4882.jsp?Nbrd=M&Nloc=en_US&Nrpp=48&Npge=1&Ntrm=city+coat&isSaleItem=false&color_name=TRUE%20BLACK&isFromSearch=true&isNewSearch=true&hash=row0
SPRING: Still waiting to experience it! :) It's almost here! Away with the snow, I am ready for warmer weather!
Alright, friends. I think I shall get back to finishing up this assignment now. I hope this was somewhat helpful for those who are moving over to the East Coast for school soon! Please let me know if there's any other post I can do for, ya! I'll probably do a dorm room tour in the next few weeks since some have been asking about that.
Sincerely,
Meagan