I grew up in one of the most diverse cities in the world. My playground was a sidewalk, and my snacks were bagels and pizza. One of the things I learned as a New Yorker is that there is more to my city than Times Square. New York is made of endless movement, flashing lights, small, underrated restaurants, million dollar homes and cheap rented apartments, gum on the streets, train delays, deli coffee and a baconeggandcheeses. (Yes, that's one word.)
But when people hear New York City, they don't think of the things I do. The first thing that pops into their heads doesn't live up to the reality of what New York truly is. It isn't perfect, not to say that NYC isn't the best city in the world because let's be real: It is. But it is perfectly imperfect, and that's something you can't understand until you get there.
Even though it is a multi-cultured, intricate city with many opportunities for success, people who aren't from New York or plan to go to New York don't know many things that distinguish a tourist from a New Yorker. If you're planning to spend a day in The Big Apple, these are the top five things you need to know before you get there:
1. Walk like a New Yorker, talk like a New Yorker.
No, please. None of the "Hey, I'm walkin' here!". New York has become a city of entrepreneurs. It is professional language, with familial "New York-isms". If you want to know where the six train is, you say "the six". Make sure to talk to someone behind the deli counter like they're your brother. For example, "Hey man! How's it goin'? Lemme get a bacon egg and cheese on a roll." Though politeness will get you a long way in the sticks, New Yorkers understand that sometimes the May I's, Please's and Thank You's won't make much of a difference- we're in a hurry!
To walk like a New Yorker, it's pretty simple. DON'T STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK! If you plan to walk on a narrow street with your family, walk two by two behind each other. Do not take up the whole side walk or walk slowly. Every day is a hustle for New Yorkers. It's also okay to cross when the sidewalk light has a big red hand on it. Look left and right, and when there are no cars, you can cross. If there are others around you, just follow their lead. Walk confidently—no, walk like you belong—and you just will.
2. Take the subway or take a cab.
Most of the time, you should take the subway. Make sure you have a subway map or download the app for the Subway lines that take you to where you want to go. Make sure you walk at a decent pace in the train, and stay alert of your surroundings. If you really need to take a cab, here's how to do it:
a. Keep one foot in the street, and stick your hand out into the air, only once you see a cab.
b. Don't just look out for a yellow cab, but look out for whether or not the lights on their cab number are on.
c. If they are on, it means they're available. If they aren't on, the cab is occupied. So, don't be annoyed if they don't stop.
3. Don't be afraid to say "No, thanks."
People will try to stop you in the street with flyers, or coax you into signing a petition. It's a nice thought, but if you're visiting New York, you're probably on a schedule. If you're going to Times Square, there will be people dressed in Cookie Monster and Spiderman costumes, and they will want a picture with you. Times Square is the place where people target tourists because that is where tourists go, which leads me to my next point:
4. Don't spend your whole time in Times Square.
Like I said, it is where the tourists go and it is nothing more than a huge Friday's, a Forever 21 that has 4 floors, lots of lights, expensive hotels, and the New Year's ball. It's always crowded, and TOYS R US with the T-REX AND THE FERRIS WHEEL INSIDE IS CLOSING SO IT IS NOT WORTH IT ANYMORE. Times Square is the essence of New York, but there is more to NYC! Go for the Disney Store and a Broadway show.
Doing your research on where to go prior to is key. Go boating in Central Park if it's nice out- get there early, it's packed during the summer. Take a walk on the Upper East Side. Go to the museums, and get lost in SoHo.
5. Adventure.
New York is the perfect place to explore, but it is also the perfect place to explore yourself. Go out of your comfort zone, don't be afraid to ask around. We're nice, I promise! We may not have the warmth of the sun in Cali, or have the peace of the woods in Pennsylvania. But New York is a quilt fabricated of diversity, of sun streaked skies, with some frays at the edges. So remember that adventure is not just exploring far and wide, but discovering new things and most of all recognizing that our warmth of the sun is a fluorescent sign that says "Open" and our peace is sitting in an empty train car after work. Adventure is being open-minded. So when you visit the Big Apple, be open to all things mediocre and crazy and we won't even be able to smell the tourist on you.
Have fun, and good luck in The City That Never Sleeps.
