I spent 4 years of my life living in Jersey City, New Jersey, which happens to be right across the Hudson River from New York City. Honestly, the thought of moving to the big city after spending 18 years of my life in small-town suburbia was all too inviting. My mind raced with movie scenes depicted in New York, the famous concrete jungle that most everyone dreams of visiting someday. I knew I had to grasp the opportunity. Don't get me wrong, I am glad I did, but when I tell you there are just as many cons as there are pros to living in the Big Apple, I'm being nothing but honest.
Pro: Shopping/Restaurant Heaven
You will never run out of stores to venture into and food joints to try in NYC. It's a shopper's and foodie's paradise. The possibilities are honestly endless, if you have an endless supply of money, that is.
Con: Most everything is expensive AF.
Want to get to the city? You got to pay for a train ride. Want to go to a museum? $45 entry fee, please. Want to take a cab to dinner across town? Be ready to dish out a quick $100, between the taxi ride and dinner with drinks. Take it from someone who blew way too much money in her college years on trips to the city. Side note: I do adore those $2 a slice pizza joints, which seem to be on every corner in Manhattan.
Pro: The views are like no other.
In my time in NYC, I got to experience the Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center, that is), the top of the Empire State Building, and the top of the Freedom Tower. All three had absolutely breathtaking views, and were so worth the price of admission. I highly recommend you make the stop on your next trip! Something about seeing the city from a bird's eye view is magical.
Con: It's crowded. All. The. Time.
Let's put it this way: 8.4 million people reside in NYC. Add in all the tourists, and you've got one big cluster of humans. The locals will be happy to swear at you and push you out of the way if you're in their path. New Yorkers are not friendly, and they won't pretend to be. It's a super pleasant environment, really. Being there in the age of coronavirus would actually terrify me.
Pro: Celebrity sightings!
Now, the only celebrities I ever saw in my time in NYC are Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker, but I've heard stories from friends of seeing celebrities casually strolling the streets of Soho and the Upper East Side, including Bradley Cooper and Taylor Swift. My aunt was even flirted with by Donald Trump! (Mind you, this happened years and years ago, but thank God she said shot him down.)
Con: Transportation flat-out SUCKS.
I'm going to tell it to you straight: if you're considering having a car in NYC, don't. Unless you're a millionaire living in a complex with a massive underground parking garage, it is not worth it. In my time there, I probably received $300 worth of parking tickets, and even got towed once. Ubers across the city aren't much better, though; one time my friend got kicked out of a club we were at and I paid for our Uber home, and it ended up costing me $150 to get us from Queens to Jersey City. It's a no from me, dawg.
Pro: It's truly a melting pot of people.
One thing I truly appreciate about New York City is the vast diversity of human beings there. Growing up in a mostly-white town, it was incredible to actually see the world and all the wonderful cultures that encompass it. It makes you appreciate others more, and helps you to understand others better.
Con: The weather sucks, most of the year.
Now let me tell you, there is a reason there are songs about Central Park in fall. It's absolutely beautiful; the leaves changing with the magnificent skyline in the backdrop...there's simply nothing like it. However, the winters are freezing, and the summers are blisteringly hot. My personal favorite is the mix of winter sludge and garbage littering the streets, or maybe the smell of hot garbage on a summer afternoon in NYC. Nothin' like it. LOL.
Pro: The culture and history are rich.
Some of my favorite memories of NYC are my trips to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Broadway shows. I even found my family's last name on the Wall of Honor at Ellis Island! There truly is so much to learn in the big city, and so much history resides there. While NYC is all about the modern era, there is also a plethora of historical and cultural places to explore.
Con: You'll miss it when you leave.
Coronavirus whisked me out of the city quite rapidly back in March of 2020, and it breaks my heart that I never got to cross all the items off my NYC bucket list. However, this gives me an excuse to go back and visit soon! You truly have my heart, New York, New York.
Despite the cons that were overwhelming at times as a young adult in the Big Apple, I am endlessly grateful for the time I got to spend in New York City. There's no place like it, and if you have the opportunity, I highly suggest making a trip out east. Oh, and you must try Prince Street Pizza in Soho - hands down the best pizza I've ever had!
