Growing up, I lived in a relatively small-to-medium sized town about an hour away from the closest city, only being exposed to it a few hours at a time. My family would go for Broadway shows, see the famous Christmas tree, go window shopping, check out a museum, ride the Toys R Us ferris wheel (RIP), get dinner then head home. We never really spent the night, but even when we would, it was nothing like actually living there.
Now that I am about a week into living in a city for a few months, I am realizing that there is a lot to adjust to that living in my small town couldn't prepare me for.
1. You walk EVERYWHERE
I knew I would be walking a lot but coming close to 20,000 steps a day was wayyyy more than I was expecting. At home, I would drive everywhere but now that I can't, walking is one of the easiest ways to get around.
2. Carrying your groceries home is the worst
Kinda going a long with walking everywhere, you have to walk to and from the grocery store if you want food. This means you either have to carry back ridiculously heavy bags or carry back bags that weigh less, but then go to the story every day or every other day to get what you need. Neither option is ideal. Moral of the story, I miss driving to the supermarket.
3. (Some) public transportation is great
I say some because I have been places where the public transportation is horrible (cough Septa is literally always 12 minutes late cough) but in London, the tube is wonderful. I haven't had many issues yet and I actually kind of enjoy it. Even the double decker buses are a cool way to see the city but also get to your destination quickly.
4. Noisy streets at night
Even in the middle of the night, there is a constant stream of cars moving around the streets and I can hear all of it from my window. While I have gotten use to it to a degree, it is still an adjustment from the non existent noise that would come from my windows at home.
5. There are a million things to see and do
While this isn't a bad problem to have, it certainly makes me feel overwhelmed. At home, there were only a few options but now, the list is endless! So much to do, some much to see, so indecisive!
