As an East Coaster at heart, I’m used to the big cities and the fast pace of life — fast walkers, fast talkers, aggressive drivers — everyone is in some kind of a hurry. Some people hate how “stressful” a lifestyle it is, but I love every second of it; it’s home.
When I moved to Boise State three and a half years ago, I felt a wave of a culture shock. If you haven’t seen the movie "Zootopia," stop reading this and go watch it.
If you have, you remember the sloths at the DMV: moving at five miles per hour just to staple some papers? Then you might know where this is going. Don’t get me wrong, the people of the Pacific Northwest are extremely friendly, nice, and live a largely stress-free lifestyle. I definitely have come to appreciate strangers asking me how my day is going, especially if I’m out running errands or just waiting for the crosswalk.
It somewhat feels like a time travel back to the “good ‘ole days:” when people used to look each other in the eye, strike up a conversation and not feel any kind of underlying skepticism just because of the look someone had given them; the times when people didn’t depend on technology nor have technology dictate every second of their day.
Four years later, which was right before I left for college, and after much nostalgia from watching "Sex and the City" and "Gossip Girl," my parents surprised me with a five-day trip to the Big Apple, and I still feel like a tourist.
When my parents and I arrived in the city a few days ago, we ate at a local diner next to our hotel called The Red Flame Diner. In New York, Diners are equivalently popular to fast food and even chain restaurants — they’re relatively quick, chill, and serve delicious comfort food! What more could a tourist ask for? The diner had full-sized glass windows that made you feel less of a creepy, stalker who enjoys people watching.
At the same time, it also can make you feel like you’re a goldfish in a fishbowl.
As we waited for our lunch, I noticed how overwhelmed and amazed I was at the city’s pace of life. Remember, it’s been four years since I’ve been here, I had only been in the city for about an hour and realized there’s so much going on in such a confined space; especially when comparing it to the city of Boise!
Immaculate LED lights shine over the heads of tourists, workers, vendors — all walks of life. My eyes were glued to all the digital advertisements, the endless sea of the iconic yellow taxi cabs, the sirens from either police cars or the horns of aggressive drivers, and of course the mannequins on display that reminded me I’m a broke college student. Despite this overstimulation on my first day officially back at home for Christmas break, I’ve missed the city so much.
On every street corner, there’s always some kind of hot dog or fast food vendor cart with digital, flashy signs that read “JUICY HOTDOGS”, “FRESH COFFEE” or the daily meal deal. I’ll admit I do cave into the cheesy advertisements, but something inside my head says that I really don’t need to get that greasy New York-style hot dog.
It’s sad to think that society runs on economic fuel, accompanied with exorbitant and annoying advertisements; but it’s the truth — without money, people wouldn’t have the commodities or the opportunities they would have today. It’s every man for himself, quantity triumphs quality.
Despite its iconic luxuriousness of the upper class and its sleek skyscrapers, New York City really is a concrete conglomerate of capitalism and materialism.
My family and I have been in the city for two days, out of the five planned for our “mini” vacation; we’ve spent at least $450 on food alone. And the sad part? You need food to survive — sustenance shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg.
As we ventured further into the city, we stumbled upon the famous Fifth Avenue — every block was lit as if they were in a Christmas light competition on television. The local trees of the city were clothed in lights highlighting every curve of its branches.
Just to get to the crosswalk, waddling over like a penguin is your best bet because of how many people occupy the wide sidewalks at once. Those of you who are claustrophobic, this would be your worst nightmare.
It also doesn’t help when people randomly stop in the middle of the traffic flow just to get that perfect selfie or tourist picture — the locals have somewhere to be and don’t have the time to wait for them. Despite this gritty exterior, New Yorkers are about as friendly and warm-welcoming as Boiseans. The endless wave of tourists, especially in “The City that Never Sleeps,” tend to overcast the genuine citizenry.
The city is one large conveyor belt, its people travel on it and just keep going. Will society truly wake up and see how much people have lost their sense of humanity?
