Manhattan Living (Phoenix, Fairfield, Washington Heights: sublets, rentals, insurance)

[sushigirlie]

Yes, the last person said it right. I've moved to New york. I am a well-educated professional. I have met a lot of very interesting people. New york is a place like nothing else. but I also have a love-hate relationship with this city.
The more mature/older I become the more my priorities are shifting. It's time to move out and go some place more serence, peaceful, less transient. But I would not have exchanged my younger days in NYC for anything else.

[BXGEAR]

It's funny: Out-of-towners have degrees, come to NYC, and work in fashion or marketing or wall street. They have dreams of being the elite. But living here all my life, NYers from the urban jungle have modest dreams of settling down with a stable city job, owning small business, or winning the lottery. and i thought i was a dreamer!

[lauralove181mn]

Yes that's exactly what I want to do (refering to UpstaterInBklyn's comment). Come to New York right after college. Or even finish my last 2 years at NYU...but that's something I'm still thinking about.

I actually live with my boyfriend right now and usually all we have money for is rent and food anyways. He will finish college before I will, so he may have some work experience under his belt by the time we move to NY. So there will be 2 salaries coming in for us.

I've lived in cramped accomedations before...so I'm not too worried about that. I actually kind've prefer a small, cozy home. And I just love the feel of living in an apartment.

I truely am a very determined person. And I do like to think I'm intelligent and have a more mature stature than most young people who are around my age. I actually want to work in Fashion Marketing and Merchandising, so I think the city will be a fantastic place for a girl like me. I am pretty optomistic that I will survive the city, since I do work very hard at everything I do.

[Elvira Black]

NYU is a good move if you can afford it...there are financial aid/scholarships available, but it is very costly without them. Then you can intern in the field you are interested in while you finish up your degree--it's strongly encouraged at NYU and it's a priceless opportunity to get a head up on the competition. Other than that, the Fashion Institute of Technology might be a possibility.

If you work at NYU, you get free tuition. There are work-study programs that offer a combo of free tuition and a part time gig. Good deal, though the money you get is peanuts--better to get a full time job there if you can. At least that's how it was when I was a grad student there.

[lauralove181mn]

Originally Posted by Elvira Black

NYU is a good move if you can afford it...there are financial aid/scholarships available, but it is very costly without them. Then you can intern in the field you are interested in while you finish up your degree--it's strongly encouraged at NYU and it's a priceless opportunity to get a head up on the competition. Other than that, the Fashion Institute of Technology might be a possibility.

If you work at NYU, you get free tuition. There are work-study programs that offer a combo of free tuition and a part time gig. Good deal, though the money you get is peanuts--better to get a full time job there if you can. At least that's how it was when I was a grad student there.

Thanks for the advice. I'll keep it in mind

[UpstaterInBklyn]

It's funny: Out-of-towners have degrees, come to NYC, and work in fashion or marketing or wall street. They have dreams of being the elite. But living here all my life, NYers from the urban jungle have modest dreams of settling down with a stable city job, owning small business, or winning the lottery. and i thought i was a dreamer!

It's really not about being a "dreamer", or being part of the "elite". It is about putting yourself in an environment with more opportunity.

It is actually a very practical decision for a person who is serious about his/her career. This is not unique to NYC. Any top tier metro (LA, SF, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, etc.) offers more opportunity than a small city.

Since you've lived here all your life, you are not familiar with what it is like to manage a professional career in a small, no-growth city. There are only a few places that are even potential employers. And if you lose your job -- you have a real struggle trying to find a comparable new job - or you just settle for under-employment.

[BXGEAR]

Originally Posted by UpstaterInBklyn

It's really not about being a "dreamer", or being part of the "elite". It is about putting yourself in an environment with more opportunity.

It is actually a very practical decision for a person who is serious about his/her career. This is not unique to NYC. Any top tier metro (LA, SF, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, etc.) offers more opportunity than a small city.

Since you've lived here all your life, you are not familiar with what it is like to manage a professional career in a small, no-growth city. There are only a few places that are even potential employers. And if you lose your job -- you have a real struggle trying to find a comparable new job - or you just settle for under-employment.

I didn't mean for you to be offended. I never gave any negative connotation what so ever. I simply stated an observation. Of course there are exception

[lauralove181mn]

Originally Posted by UpstaterInBklyn

It's really not about being a "dreamer", or being part of the "elite". It is about putting yourself in an environment with more opportunity.

It is actually a very practical decision for a person who is serious about his/her career. This is not unique to NYC. Any top tier metro (LA, SF, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, etc.) offers more opportunity than a small city.

Since you've lived here all your life, you are not familiar with what it is like to manage a professional career in a small, no-growth city. There are only a few places that are even potential employers. And if you lose your job -- you have a real struggle trying to find a comparable new job - or you just settle for under-employment.

You hit the nail right on the head UpstaterInBklyn.

[Suzer]

Thank you for capturing my dilemma, UpstaterInBklyn. I moved with my husband from California for his excellent job opportunity in Newburgh, NY. I had a great career in education in CA, he was chronically underemployed because of the poor employment market of the town he grew up in. We've moved to the outskirts of the Poconos in PA (husband's preference - lower taxes, more for your money). I try to explain to my friends and family why I would ride on a bus 2 hours each way to New York City to maintain a professional career. Frankly, I would prefer to struggle in the city and have more of a life, but the bottom line won out.

I hope everyone who lives in the city and is able to build their career to their satisfaction appreciates it and doesn't take for granted the amazing opportunities available to them.

[UpstaterInBklyn]

I didn't mean for you to be offended. I never gave any negative connotation what so ever. I simply stated an observation. Of course there are exception

No offense taken, ClubBR. And thanks for your concern.

With all of the grumbling in this forum about "Outsiders", "Midwesterners" and "Yuppies", it's important to explain why we relocators end up in this great city.

And I see the truth and agree with the irony of your statement, having gotten to know many born-and-bred NY'ers since I've been here