1. You get road rage…very quickly and very easily.

As soon as the light turns green and the car doesn’t move in front of you, your first instinct is to lay it down on the horn.

2. You can’t stand having to walk behind tourists in the city.

They walk so slow and stop to take pictures of everything—even a dog peeing on the edge of the sidewalk. New Yorkers have an agenda, and we can’t be slowed down by anything or anyone.

3. You call New York City “the city.”

Whoever says New York City or Manhattan anymore? Tourists who try to be “posh” will say, “I’m visiting Manhattan.” But even when they say that, we know they’re not New Yorkers!

4. Fast Food and Halal stands at 2:30 in the morning—heck yes! Chain restaurants become the thing.

There might be a great authentic restaurant down the street, but the cheap chains always win over our heart and tummy. ESPECIALLY, halal in the middle of the night. In fact, you might even drive or walk all over the city to find your usual halal guy, if of course he isn’t at his street corner on 56^th and 3^rd.

5. You don’t believe in crosswalk lights—jaywalking is like breathing.

No one, not cars, bicyclists, or pedestrians believe in street signals and signage—except tourists, of course.

6. You obnoxiously wear your headphones everywhere, even when you’re talking to someone.

They never come off! You could be listening to music, taking a phone call, or having them in for no reason. Perhaps we leave them in so strangers don’t approach us asking questions.

7. You don’t mind pushing someone to fit into the subway car.

Don’t deny it, because we’ve all done it before. You might have had to get somewhere on time, and that man with the obnoxiously large shopping bags would have just taken up too much precious space.

8. You are very selective when it comes to pizza.

You’ll compare the pizza you eat, even in Italy, to the pizza back in New York. And, when you’re in the city, you know that pretty much every pizza place is going to have better pizza than a Domino’s, for example.

9. You start to judge everyone you see on the street, sizing them up and comparing them to you.

You don’t even realize it, but the city turns you into a pretty hypocritical judge. Remember, others are judging you just as much—especially when you’re standing in the subway car blasting music, wearing sunglasses, and obnoxiously chewing gum.

10. You come up with last minute plans, and they always happen to be the best ones.

Calling up your friends at 10:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night to go to the club always has a better turnout then Saturday plans made weeks in advance. In fact, usually, you’ll end up sleeping in on Saturday and turning up on a Tuesday.

11. You go to the same place all the time, even though there are so many options in the city.

You become a local at one 24-hour diner or bar or café, and all the staff know you by name. They even reserve the same table by the window for you.

12. You don’t flip when you see rats or cockroaches in the subways.

These sightings have become so common you laugh when people scream or take out their phones to Snap Chat animals scurrying along the tracks.

13. You complain about spending money, but then you spend limitless amounts on Sunday brunch.

There is no price limit when it comes to brunch in the city. It’s just something you have to do...and often.

14. You don’t go to any of the touristy places, and you claim they were yours before they became "popular."

You tend to stay away from tourist traps. And if you do go to them, it’s just because it’s part of the shortest route possible to your next destination.

15. Seat belts? Nah

Wearing a seat belt in taxis is just something you don’t do—even though those drivers are more reckless than anyone you know.

16. The filming has to stop

You actually get exasperated when your usual places and routes are blocked off because they are filming movies. And you won’t be caught dead as one of those people standing around taking pictures of the set.

17. Waiting any longer than 2 minutes for the subway sets you on edge

If you get to the subway platform and realize you have to wait more than a few minutes, you start getting jittery and exasperated. You also realize that if the subway is any later, you are going to be ten-fifteen minutes late.

18. Purell becomes your best friend.

You can’t walk around the city without it because you are not afraid to touch everything and anything that makes tourists squirm. For example, in the subway, no more wrapping your arm around the center poles—use your hands! You can’t be a germaphobe and live in the city.

19. $9 drinks become normal…and almost acceptable after a while

But then when you go anywhere but the city and pay $7 or less for a drink, you wonder where all your money is at when the end of the night comes around.

20. The city makes all of us obnoxious and judgmental, somewhat cocky individuals.

We just have to tame the dragon when traveling anywhere but in New York!

21. No matter where you dream of moving and traveling to, you always find your way back to New York—there is nowhere like home.

New York raised you into the person you are today and you should be proud to call yourself a New Yorker. I know I am!