Move to Manhattan- What you should know
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If you’re reading this post, you’ve probably already decided to relocate to the Big Apple. Now, let’s begin by telling you that no New Yorker will call this city the Big Apple. If you do, you will instantly be labelled a tourist. In fact, most of the people living in NYC will not even refer to it as such. Usually, Manhattan is the only borough considered ‘The City’. Despite there are four more boroughs. If you really want to say NYC, we suggest that you call it, simply, ‘New York’. Now that we have managed to remove your tourist label, shall we move to the first of our advice for your move to Manhattan?
You ought to know that it’s a proven fact that ‘The City’ is the centre of the universe
Well, maybe not literally, but, the people living in Manhattan do think that the rest of the planet spins around them. So, we should warn you here to expect the residents of the most crowded borough to have egos of appropriate size. We don’t mean that the citizens are rude, far from that, most people in New York City are very nice and quite willing to help, but, they are also very opinionated. Don’t worry, after you relocate to Manhattan and stay at your new address for a while, you will feel your own ego inflating.
Before relocating to Manhattan, you should be aware of their motto: “Person in front of me, Y U NO WALK FASTER?!”
There is only one time in New York, really, no matter what anyone says, and that is: being late. So, we do encourage you to add at least fifteen minutes to any time calculation which you have, especially if you are taking the subway. Whether you are going to work or just visiting a friend uptown, we guarantee that you will bump into at least three people, who are all rushing somewhere. Also, in Manhattan, you should know that distance isn’t measured in miles, but in blocks, so be prepared to buy a few pairs of shoes after your move, as you will quickly wear out the ones which you own.
What you also ought to know is: Subway is the beast
You should firstly be aware that your move to Manhattan will be greatly influenced by the subway. In fact, you will likely choose an apartment close to the stop. If you hadn’t heard this piece of advice yet, consider it the 11th Commandment while moving to New York. Before you relocate to the city, we should warn you that the train is a completely different beast on the weekends, as it has a mind of its own, and might often not even work. Be careful while travelling on the subway, as well, as it’s quite easy to confuse uptown and downtown, and you’ll often find yourself going in the wrong direction, usually, when you are in a hurry.
You should also know that it’s common courtesy to let people off the train first, despite the fact that it’s not really often practised in Manhattan. Let’s not mention that most morning rides to work on the subway will be something akin to a Broadway show, as you are listening to a middle-aged man belting out his best rendition of ‘Wrecking ball’. As a last warning before you move to Manhattan regarding the subway, you should know that an empty subway car is always empty for a reason.
Before you move to Manhattan, get familiar with Seamless
Even if cooking is one of your favourite pastimes, you should really get used to the fact that you will mostly eat out or order in. Whether you have your favourite Chinese restaurant on speed dial or have it on your Seamless account, that will be the best and the worst thing which will happen to you. Best, as you will be able to simply order food and have it delivered to your door. Worst, as you will be able to simply order food and have it delivered to your door.
While we’re on the topic of food, let us tell you that there are wonderful things called bodegas in Manhattan, where you will find lots of things which you didn’t even know you needed. Though, we should warn you that bodegas can often be pretty expensive. So, as you prepare for your move to Manhattan, check out if there is an apartment near a subway station and Trader Joe’s.
Be aware that there is no such thing as living on a budget in Manhattan
No matter how good you are with money, or how much you are used to saving, there will simply never be enough money after your move to Manhattan. We know that we are probably squashing your fantasy of living in a large apartment like Rachel and Monica from Friends, but, a spacious flat in New York is one where you don’t touch walls when you stretch out your arms.
Another thing regarding purchasing or renting your apartment before your move, you should know about the broker’s fee. So, when planning your budget, always leave extra money on the side, for these kinds of situations. We don’t mean only before your change of address. Although, we give you this advice for after your move, as well. You will often find yourself leaving Trader Joe’s after spending 80$ on three items. So, yes, you should know that living in Manhattan will be quite expensive.
Hopefully, this post has given you a picture of what your life in Manhattan will be like, after your relocation. And you are better prepared to gather your belongings and head into ‘The City That Never Sleeps’.
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