As someone who spends my days between the city and Upstate, I thought it would be interesting to take note of the major differences between the two and have them battle it out in what I like to call City v. Upstate.
*Cue "Survivor" theme song*
Round One: Speed
I ain't talking about the drug. New York City is known for its fast-paced lifestyle. You can always tell when someone is new to the city by everything from how fast they walk to how fast they say their coffee order to the barista. Everyone in the city is late for something. A slow walker is the worst type of person you can be in the city.
While I'm sure every New Yorker assumes Upstaters live a slow-paced lifestyle where they live on a farm and use tractors as transportation (and that is true for some towns), most parts of upstate New York aren't that rural. We get our milk from a grocery store just like you. But the pace of a small town is still very different than the city. Upstate New York is known for being a getaway for city dwellers. It is a way for them to take a break from that fast-paced life and slow down a bit.
Winner: Upstate
Round Two: Price
The city is notorious for being expensive. From the cost of rent to the cost of coffee, everything is drastically pricier than in any other part of the country. It is so overpriced I can't even afford to binge drink in most NYC bars.
Not being able to afford my excessive drinking lifestyle is probably one of the main things keeping me Upstate (that, and I get to mooch off my parents). But in all seriousness, who the fuck can afford to live in New York City? I went apartment hunting once and the only thing in my price range was a cardboard box. But even that I would have to co-share with a rat named Steve. I prefer Upstate where the liquor is cheap and people's standards are low.
Winner: Upstate
Round Three: Transportation
One thing that surprised me when I started going to school in the city was how many people don't drive. I was the only one in my classes who owned and drove a car. According to a highly dependable source (Wikipedia) only 30% of New Yorkers use cars to commute to work, school, and whatnot. In my county about 80% of people use a car. New Yorkers tend to use public transportation, the subway, buses, trains, or taxis, and a lot of walking. Like... a shit ton of walking. Upstate to get anywhere you really need to drive. While in the city you could probably walk from your apartment to a bunch of stores, Upstate it would take me at least forty minutes to walk to my nearest grocery store. Wait let me look this up for accuracy...OK so in my car it would take me six minutes to drive to my nearest grocery store, but it would take me 38 minutes to walk there. No food is worth walking 38 minutes. None.
Winner: Tie (Driving is more convenient, but also a hell of a lot more expensive).
Round Four: Noise
The city is like that annoying family member you have who never shuts up. You think they're done talking, but after five seconds of silence they start up again. (Reason No. 24 why I hate the Holidays.) There is always some noise coming from somewhere in the city. I will be sitting in class and get concerned when I hear a firetruck's alarms going off down the road. Until I realize that for the millionth time (approximately) I am the only one concerned and everyone else is used to it. Like they see fires every day of their life.
And I don't care what anyone says, I still haven't gotten used to the noises. Their is always some alarm or honk or screaming. If any of this shit happened Upstate people would be concerned. If people in the city and hear a woman screaming, "I am being abducted, someone help me. Aliens are real, and I am giving birth to one of their babies!" they roll their eyes and keep on walking. If that happened Upstate someone would call the local news, an ambulance would be on its way, and the community would gather to host a fundraising event for "Single Mother of Alien Baby." While living Upstate isn't always peaceful crickets playing soothing songs at night like people might imagine, it is a lot more tolerable than the city.
Winner: Upstate
Round Five: Things to do
My favorite thing about the city is the various things to do. All of the museums, stores, parks, and restaurants to eat at. There is always something going on; it's actually overwhelming. Sometimes I read Time Out New York to see what's going on and there are events that leave me saying "Only in New York...." Did you know their is a "Smallest Penis in Brooklyn Contest?" Or a clothing optional sushi bar? Or a museum dedicated to Troll dolls? I love New York City.
The worst thing about Upstate is the lack of various things to do. I'm sure people will bitch at me for this, but it's just my opinion. Yes, there are things to do Upstate that you can't do in the city, and living Upstate has it's own unique charm to it, but there are only so many times I can go apple picking before I get sick of it. I love Upstate, but the lack of things to do is really troublesome.
Winner: The City
Round Six: Options
Another amazing thing about the city which kind of relates to No. 5 is the amount of options. You can get any kind of food that exists in the city, and not to mention most of it you can get delivered. There are tons of different movie theaters, so you can finally see that French New Wave film that you keep telling people you want to see, but we all know that you don't want to. There is a concert going on every night. There is a store for everything. Can't find a good toenail clipper? There is probably a store just for toenail clippers. New York is the most diverse city in the world and it shows.
Upstate, not so good with the options. You've got one mall with only a few stores you like. Two movie theaters that play the same movies. Chain restaurants that you've been to so many times it is embarrassing. Tons of Dunkin' Donuts (like, one on every street) and maybe one good bar (which again, you've been to so many times it is embarrassing).
Winner: The City
In conclusion, both New York City and Upstate have their pros and cons. The good moments and the bad. Both are drastically different, and both have a special place in my heart. Overall, the real winner is me because I get to experience both every week. So I win. Bet you weren't expecting that.
