New York is one of those places that never fails to surprise you. From hailing cabs to running late to work because you need your morning coffee, to meeting friends after work for dinner at that cute gourmet restaurant, just about everything in a New Yorker's life is atypical. You've found that many cliches about city life are true, and awesome.
Though city life gets busy, hectic, and just plain annoying, I know I miss it so much when I'm away at school. The best part of city life is that when you come back from a vacation, it almost feels like you're coming right back to another vacation (albeit a busy one). You leave it and you miss it-- that's just a part of how city life works. Here are some of the main things I know I always miss:
1. The food.
Arguably the best thing about living in New York is that you'll never run out of restaurant options. You could probably find every type of cuisine within a two-block radius. There's a stereotype of all the food in New York being extremely expensive, but if you find the right hole-in-the-wall place that's surprisingly good, you can prove everyone wrong. And there's always New York famous bagels and pizza!
2. The coffee shops.
Non-New Yorkers might say they're the same thing as restaurants, but oh no, they are most certainly not. New York City is chock-full of tiny coffee shops that specialize in totally Instagram-worthy latte art. Most of these places are extremely conducive to working, too, so you can enjoy the fresh aroma of coffee while you write that term paper!
3. The parks.
Whoever said New York has no nature was lying. One of NYC's newest goals is to open more public parks, so there will be plenty of green space to run, read, and play in.
4. The comedic situations you run into every single day.
Street performers, loud conversations, a couple breaking up in the middle of the street -- just about every day in the city breaks the norm.
5. Public transportation.
Now, obviously, this is a tricky one, because public transit can sometimes be slow and unreliable. However, once you have to drive 20-miles after a late night where you're virtually falling asleep behind the wheel, you'll miss the ease of sitting (or standing) on a train while someone else takes you where you need to go.
This rat won't be the strangest thing you see on the subway.
6. The exercise options.
In New York City, even walking is exciting. New Yorkers are always trying to save a Metro Card swipe with the outrageous growing prices, so two miles does not sound like a bad walk at all. If this isn't your cup of tea, however, no problem -- yoga and spin classes, cheap gym memberships and parks with beautiful trails await you at every avenue.
7. The photo opportunities.
Driving on the West Side Highway? Skyline pic! Hanging out by Battery Park? Water pic! Crashing a Broadway show stage door meet and greet without actually going to the event? Celebrity selfie!
8. The real life hacks.
Whenever my friends from out of town come visit me, I let them know about the Broadway lottery, the fact that Bryant Park ice rink is free, and Rockefeller is insanely overpriced and that museums are a surprisingly fun activity when you're talking about classic places like the Met and Natural History Museum. New Yorkers are always looking for a way to have fun while still saving money.
9) The different kinds of neighborhoods.
While suburbia consists of rows and rows of identical houses, each block of New York boasts unique features that set it apart from the rest of the city. Every district has something cool to offer!
10. The atmosphere.
New York City thrives on people's dreams, as creepy as that might sound. Every second of your day is filled with the busy but optimistic energy that makes the city the city.
11. The people.
It takes a special kind of person to live in a city. You have to be disciplined, flexible, and very ambitious to have the guts to move up here -- or even to grow up here. The communities you build are fierce and loyal, just like the city itself.
