Growing up in Texas, I would always hear people make comments about how different the North and Northern people are. Things like "It's so cold up there" and "The people are not polite" were common statements used when people were describing it, especially New York. People would say that the streets are dirty, there are rats everywhere, and it's super crowded everywhere, and no matter how much truth was behind these statements, they never killed my dream to live in the city. When I officially committed to Pace University and moved here, I started to get a lot of questions from friends and family asking what it's like here and if the bad things they heard about it were true. So here are a few things that I have found out about the city and the people here during the six months that I have lived here.
1. Southern Hospitality is most definitely a real thing
Growing up in a small suburb of Texas, you hear adults mention “Southern Hospitality” but you don’t put much thought into it. Smiling at someone you make eye contact with, saying ma'am and sir, saying "Excuse me," or "Sorry," when walking through crowded areas, all of these things are second nature. It’s what we grow up learning to do. I never gave it a second thought until I came to the city. During my first weeks here, I would be offended that people wouldn’t say sorry for bumping into me or wouldn’t take the time to hold the door for people behind them. However, with time I came to realize that the mannerisms that came so natural to me just simply do not exist here.
2. Northern people are not rude
When I began to tell people where I would be attending college one of the first things they would say is “I hear people are really rude up there.” Now after living in the city for four months, I can say that this is most definitely not true. After discovering the reality of Southern hospitality, I think that Southern people have labeled Northerners as rude because they don’t portray their kindness in the same way Southerners do.
3. Autumn is a real season and not just something you see in movies
Now I don’t know about other states in the south, but I know that in Texas the transition from summer to fall to winter happens in about a week. One week you can barely drive your car without burning your hand on the steering wheel, and the next week you're shivering as you make the two-minute walk from your car to the school. The worst part of it all is not getting a chance to see the leaves change colors. Instead of the reds, oranges, and yellows that fill the trees of Central Park, all the leaves in Texas just simply turn brown and fall off.
4. Brooklyn is just as cool as Manhattan
Before actually moving to New York, my opinions of Brooklyn had all been constructed by the hours I had spent watching Sex and The City and Gossip Girl. Now after actually spending time in this borough, I can say that those shows got it all wrong. Brooklyn is definitely one of the best parts of the city. The vibe of Brooklyn is so different and unique than any other borough that you can’t help but to appreciate it.
5. If you love New York City, you LOVE New York City
New York City isn’t for everyone, and that’s understandable. However, for the people that love the city, it’s not just a “Oh, it’s a nice place to live” type of love. It’s a “This city is the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I never want to live anywhere else” type of love. New York is a place where people move to make their dreams come true, and those people are the ones that see the true magic the city has to offer.
