Q for those living in NY

[katia7]

Hi,
I'm graduating in December (I'm 21) and thinkig about looking for a job in NY (seems like there're a lot more apportunities in my feild--Graphic Design) and I always wanted to live in a big city.
What is it like living in NY? I was thinking... if you work from 8-5 + it takes 1 hr to get to work (I won't have a car there) then 1 hr to get home. Plus, ofcourse I need at least 1 hr for Cathe in the AM (can't live without her). Do you actually have time for anythign else (enjoying the city life)?
I'm also conserned "will I be able to afford living there"?

If someone could give me any information about living in NY I would really apreciate it.

Thank you
Katia

 

[Gretzky]

Hi Katia:

I moved here 7.5 years ago from California, and have never looked back! I love it here and really can't think of any other place I'd rather live (mind you, my sister, also from CA cannot understand how I can live here).

If you live in The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, or Manhattan) the MOST your commute should be is an hour, more like 15 minutes to 45 minutes. Sometimes you can even walk to work! Staten Island is the hardest to get to and the longest commute. I live in Brooklyn and it's about 30-40 minutes door to door, depending on trains. (I have even walked home when necessity calls.) I get up at 5:00 a.m. to exericse and leave the house at 8:20 to get to work by 9:00. Most of my friends who go out do so either right after work for drinks and early dinner (usually home before 10) or they do it late (meeting at 9:00) so you COULD go home and work out beforehand! This city never sleeps (bars are open till 4:00 a.m.) so you can always find time to do stuff, especially on the weekends. About the affording thing... it's very expensive and rents are high, but most young people I know have roommates. Sometimes, the price of a one-bedroom is all they can afford and they hire a company to put up a temporary wall (meaning it can come down when you move with no scars to the place) to divide up the apartment. They get very creative! I've even heard of studio apartments being "walled."

If I had known how much I would love it here, I would have moved 20 years ago! But then again, my friends call me the poster child for NYC. Even after 9/11 and the blackout...

Hope this helps! I'm sure others will chime in with their experiences (which may be completely different from mine!)
I LOVE NY!
:7 :7

P.S. And what they say about NY apartment kitchens is true. TINY!

 

[katia7]

Thank you for replying!
If I move to NY, I'm planning to live in Brooklyn. How much do you think a person needs to make to be able to live there comfortably--be able to pay for the necessities and still be able to have a life in NY?

Thank you
Katia

 

[Gretzky]

I work in publishing, and entry level positions start at around $28,000 per year. All the assistants/coordinators that work on my floor have at least one roommate, maybe two. But I know people who get by on much less! It's all about finding the good deals, the cheap restaurants, the last minute cheap theatre tickets! I would pick up a couple of issues of New York Magazine and Time Out New York and start looking through the "what to do" pages and see how much things cost. They also do articles on the cost of living here,how to find cheap apartments and eat cheaply, etc. They say it costs you $20 every time you go out your front door! So true... but you can save $$$ by taking the subway ($2 to anywhere in the five boroughs)instead of cabs. There are definitely ways to live here cheaply and still have a great time. I know a lot of people who make less than $28K and still manage to get everything out of this city that it has to offer. Downtown by NYU the kids have made living cheaply an art form. Employers sometimes offer discounts to museums, etc. You just have to do a little research! Good luck!