Amidst the hustling, bustling, and everyday stress that comes with living in the most populous state in the United States, New York City still holds a special place in our hearts.
The City of New York is a place like no other — the cabs, subways, streets, and even the pizza are different.
If you’re like most New Yorkers, your monthly pay is split between wine, rent, and the unlimited monthly MetroCard.
Who wouldn’t want the ease that comes with using a MetroCard?
With about 8.5 million people in the city and thousands of activities going on every single minute, everything seems to be 30% harder in the city.
As an African immigrant, you’d have to deal with the slow walkers, ill-tempered cab drivers, marauding youths, and everything that seems to be out there to frustrate your life.
If you truly want to survive in the city of New York, you’ve got to know some survival guides that are much different from the generic advice you’d get out there.
In this article, you’ll learn practical tips on how to survive in New York City.
- Feeding
Although budgeting and thorough planning is essential for your survival in New York, you’ve got to try not to work against your natural flow.
Mastering how to eat in New York is hard!
If you’re not good with cooking your meals, or you’re lazy to prepare your meals in the kitchen, you should look for affordable eatery close to you.
Try not to eat appetizers and foods with little or no health benefits.
However, preparing your meal is an excellent way of cutting down on excess expenses.
As a rule of thumb, you should never buy groceries you don’t need.
- Proper Use Of The Subway
Yes!
The New York subway is not the best out there. Complaining about the dilapidating and deteriorating structures won’t change anything.
Trust me; it won’t!
After all, the structures are better off than the ones you left behind in your home country.
But you can do yourself a world of good by downloading a couple of apps like Citymapper and Transit.
Citymapper helps in the bus system and subway navigation. You’d get reliable data on the departure schedule.
Transit provides a timetable to know the arrival times of trains — it’s a perfect fit for subway stations that lack countdown clocks.
Action key — Be logical and don’t cause delay. For instance, standing in front of the door restrict free movement and hinders people from moving in and out of the train, ultimately delaying the train in the station. If you want the train to leave quickly, stay away from the door.
Also, learn not to take up excess space. And remember to offer your seat to someone who needs it more than you.
One more thing…
Don’t ever cut your fingernails in the train!
- Finding A Job
Let’s be clear; there’s a difference between starting a career and finding a job — look that up.
If you need a low stack job, you should show up.
Yes, sending countless proposals online is a good strategy. But half of the battle is done offline.
Who knows, you may show up at the right time when the manager is looking for someone with your skillset.
Also, your level of enthusiasm would go a long way to get you the job you desire.
Starting a career in New York City is hard, but you can quickly get along with a job. And to get a job, you have to show up and ask.
New York is one of the busiest cities in the world, and living there is quite demanding.
However, you can get the most out of your stay by applying these practical tips.
Are you a New Yorker? Use the comment section below to share your New York hacks with us.