New York City

Who is in charge of this city? They act like no one cares about how dirty the city looks and feels. Back in the early 2000s, it was awesome and clean. No more. Does the Mayor even know what is happening in his city? Time for new leadership.

Growing up in Ohio, I LOVED visiting NYC when I was a kid. In fact, I loved it so much that I ended up living there for 5 years after college. Now, I live in Seattle but still visit the city at least once a year to visit friends.

New York is one of those cities that you either love or hate. For me, its a bit of both. It was a treat for the first few yearsI loved being able to catch a show any night of the week, the nightlife and shopping was on a whole other level. I enjoyed being able to walk or take the metro everywhere, without the need for a car.

But after 3 or 4 years it started wearing on me. The fast pace of life that is invigorating at first began to feel relentless. The 70+ hour work weeks that are practically a requirement as an attorney left little time for rest and travel. These hours are also the norm for tech, finance, and startups. This exhausting schedule begins to detract from quality of life after some time.

Part of the reason that people work such long hours is to pay for the extremely high cost of living in the city. I wont spend much time on it here, because you probably already know that rent is extortionate, and the scarcity of apartments is dire. An apartment will go on the market and be gone within a few hours. In fact, most apartments are leased based on who the leasing agents know. They often fill it before they even list it. If there does happen to be a rare open house, people bring their checkbooks to viewing appointments. Its unfortunate to have so little choice in where you make your home. I lived in 2 different apartments during my time there, and they both absorbed the majority of my income.

The other big reason why I ended up moving is the lack of access to outdoor recreation. Dont get me wrong, I adore Central Park and the little neighborhood green spaces, but getting to the mountains is definitely a mission in NYC. And growing up in Ohio, I was used to quick access to hiking and skiing. Now in Seattle Im loving the outdoors accessibility and have been skiing practically every weekend in the winter and hiking most weekends in the summer.

But of course there are plenty of things that I love about NYC. For one, the people. There are so many different kinds of people in NYC that it is amazing. In many cities, such as Seattle, the city ends up being segregated in some ways and you can accidentally surround yourself with people just like you. I also love the social scene and the nightlife in the city. Theres such a constant hum of energy, and so many interesting things to do and see. Lastly, the shopping. Theres simply no other place Ive been to that has such a fun and varied shopping scene, especially once you explore some of the smaller, more creative, and lesser-known shops that are out of the tourist scene.

How to describe the colorful, ever-changing, noisy, gorgeous city that is New York? It really differs based on which neighborhood you’re in, but I’ll give it my best shot to describe it overall.

THE GOOD:

NYC has such an amazing diversity of people. You can meet people from everywhere in the world, with every skill set imaginable, from so many cultures and languages… and that’s just on the subway on your way into the city. The city is so dense that you’re automatically going to meet people from other industries and backgrounds by default, which is amazing.

Part of why you’ll meet so many interesting people is because of all the events. There is just SO MUCH to do in this city. You can find a hundred different things to do each night, many of which are low cost or free (which kind of makes up for the unaffordable rent, a tiny bit). Museums, theater, music in the park, dancing, happy hours, parties, artwork, brunch, sports, it never ends. ……

But the culture here isn’t just about a huge roster of events, it’s also that people tend to be very open to going out, being socially active, and making new friends. As a Seattleite, this isn’t something to take for granted and definitely isn’t part of the culture of every city. If New York was a person, it would be the social butterfly, always interested in meeting new people, going to events all the time, and never having a dull moment.

The food is so good. You can find some of the best in the world for whatever type of food you like. The best ramen, the best pizza, the best sushi. For sure the best brunch, which is a vital weekend meal here, and probably the only time New Yorkers actually slow down. The only trouble is eating out can get very expensive. But at the same time, depending on where you live, it can be tough to cook all your meals at home because the grocery stores are also expensive and sometimes hard to come by.

THE BAD:

NYC is always humming with life—which is good. But this means that you have to get used to sleeping with noise, or get earplugs. The noise just never stops in this city. You get used to it after a while, but it can still be draining to not have a quiet space. Especially if you’re in an older building where you can also hear everything your neighbors are up to, whether you want to or not.

The lack of access to nature isn’t great either. Sure you can go to a park, but to get out into the mountains to go for a hike, you really need a car and a lot of time—both things most New Yorkers don’t typically have. So that’s a trade off, because you definitely can feel like you need some fresh air once in a while.

The last detriment to NYC is the cost. Rent is obscenely high. It can be stressful, even for the mid to high wage earners, because apartments are simply so scarce, and so expensive. Sure, you might be earning a higher wage in NYC than your job in another city, but your standard of living isn’t going to change because renting your tiny studio is going to eat up most of your income. And right now there’s really no way to avoid that without a super long commute. I honestly have no idea how minimum or low wage earners live here.

THE GOOD/BAD:

Lastly I’ll mention the fast pace. It’s a cliché, but it’s true that this is a city that never sleeps. There is a whole other standard of work and social activity that I’ve never seen anywhere else. People work ridiculous hours, go out after work, sleep for a few hours, then do it all again. This can be both exhilarating and exhausting. But it’s really hard to NOT do it, because everyone else is doing it. So the excitement and fun of a non-stop life have to be worth the weariness that it can cause if you want to live in this beautiful crazy city.

NYC is one of the cities you need to see once in your life. It's busy but exciting! With so many different things to see -> from shows on Broadway to massive Central Park.

To live here is an expensive proposition. If you can afford it, then you would enjoy it.

New York is a fantastic blast to live, learn, grow up or grow old in. It's home to some of the most beautiful parks in the world, some of the best schools in the country, and a pool of citizens that remind you of your fortune, aspirations, and humanity.

New Yorkers are actually very friendly, always looking out for one another and are only rude when outsiders (or locals) disrupt the natural flow of the city.

The Met, MoMA, Broadway, Off-Broadway, Madison Square Garden, Museum of Natural History, Central Park, Shakespeare in the Park, Riverside Park, Hudson River Park...this city is teeming with culture, natural and created beauty and sophistication.

If you think the city is a dirty mess, you haven't lived here. If you think it's a place to only visit and not live, you're unaware of the fabulous schools (K-12 and beyond), parents, parks, and resources that are available here and nowhere else.

Parts of it are dirty, but parts are beautiful. The same can be said of anywhere. It's also not a city for everyone, but no city is. It's not always crowded, in fact at times it feels completely your own.

It's annoying to have millions of people come and judge your city constantly. If you can't understand why people live here, I think that says more about you than NYC.

The moment I arrived in New York I felt like I had finally come home. I was in my mid twenties, but I felt like I should have been born in this city from the start. The friendliness of the people, the vibe on the streets, the great restaurants and the overall feel from the city that puts a smile on my face really can't be found anywhere else. The only knock on this city is that it is 10 hrs from my hometown which is really too far for my home away from home...

I lived in NYC for a short time, and it really is hard to say anything bad about it. While my time in NYC was extremely short, and I hope to get back there very soon...that's how much I enjoyed it. From the big city feel of Broadway to the cosy back alleys, cosy bars and pubs of Soho and Little Italy, this is one place in the world I would love to live in for a good amount of time.

For anyone questioning the move to NYC, don't Some people may say it's too busy, or that crime is through the roof - but don't listen to them. NYC is a great place to live, especially if you are young and single.

Everyone knows NYC, so I do not need to advertise it. One thing I just want to say it is that it is a great place where to live. I moved here three years ago, and I am very impressed of the things this city has to offer every day. At the same time, it is not a perfect city, thus, you do not feel like living in a boring amusement park.

New York City is a world within the world. With over 10 million people it is hard to simply describe as a city.

Within the city you have Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx and within the boroughs you have neighborhoods, each a city yet again.

There is something for everyone, the worlds best landmarks, parks, attractions, restaurants, bars, museums and libraries.

The most incredible atmosphere you will ever feel.

It's the worlds most recognized city for a reason!