“Diverse Americans managed to live together because they lived apart” (Robert Wiebe).
Oh, how this statement could not be more true. As a New Yorker living in California, I’ve had my fair share of culture shocks and social blunders that can only be met with face palms. Now you may all be thinking, is the east coast that much different from the west coast? The New Yorker in me would respond with a “mad different man” while the newly formed Californian in me would retort with a “hella different dude.” Here’s a glimpse into the lifestyles of New Yorkers and Californians.
Mornings
New York
The honking of cars, the clacking of shoes, and the churning of garbage disposal trucks are your wake up call. New Yorkers start their day early because there is simply no extra time for dawdling. I’ve mastered the skills of running long avenues in heels while balancing my insanely large cup of coffee.
California
There are no sounds to describe the mornings in California because there is simply no noise. It’s as if the world is still soundly asleep with the slight chirping of birds to remind you that it indeed is morning time. If you want to grab a cup of coffee, you better make it yourself because no shops are open in the early morning.
Transportation
New York
New Yorkers walk a lot and drive rarely, but all New Yorkers take the subway. For $2.75 a train ride, you can take it anywhere throughout its extensive network. The subway is a microcosm of the city itself as lively musical performances and dance shows occur spontaneously throughout the subway stations while food and other services are offered for your convenience. The dreaded part of the subway is the actual train ride. Only in NYC would you have constant train delays, train malfunctions, and random changes of train lines. You could be on the R local train and all of a sudden it can turn into an F express train making certain stops, not to mention during rush hours you are basically shoulder to shoulder and back to back with a bunch of other passengers all sweating in the hot humid summer day. It certainly doesn’t help that New Yorkers are always in a rush so once the train door opens, step aside ladies and gentleman because you will get trampled if you’re not quick enough.
California
Californians always drive everywhere since everything is far apart from one another. That was my biggest shock because everyone seemed to have a permit, license, or own their own car to drive. That’s mind-blowing since New Yorkers rarely learn how to drive until after high school if at all. They also love their environmentally friendly modes of transport such as biking, skating, and definitely walking. The buses and trains are quite limited in comparison to New York, but always run on time. With only a handful of train lines, which are color coded and not named after a letter or number, it’s hard to explore the Bay Area without a car.
Attitude
New York
New Yorkers are cutthroat and competitive; it’s not just a stereotype. We hustle and bustle in the city that never sleeps for the chance to get ahead and chase our dreams. There are millions of people here all fighting for the same reasons to stay, so you will always see people multi-tasking with numerous jobs and opportunities. We talk fast and bluntly, which can often be mistaken as rudeness, but never take our cynicism and sarcasm to heart. There’s no time to sugarcoat, honey.
California
Californians are super chill. Mostly relaxed and rarely stressed, people seem to have a better grasp on the larger scheme of life. They rarely fret the small details and focus on moving forward. Along with the slow pace of life, talking and walking is slower as well. It may be because there’s so much more time here that people are willing to open up and start friendly conversations.
Occupations
New York
Suits. Everywhere. New York City is home to aspiring young professionals climbing the corporate ladder to the top. Home to doctors, lawyers, and bankers, New York City guarantees limitless opportunities, if you’re willing to work for free that is. On the flip side, musicians and models flock to the city to be the lucky ones discovered by famous artists in hipster parts of Brooklyn.
California
Tech. Everywhere. The Bay Area is a hub of startups with every other person founding a startup or preparing to start one. With a more relaxed vibe compared to the corporate world, you write your own rules. Opting for t-shirts and flip flops rather than suits, you can find programmers basically anywhere with free wifi.
