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Hello NYers. I am highly considering moving to NYC for college. I have visited the city (Manhattan) before and would like to give NY a try. A little about me I am from Alabama, young black female, Conservative, and I love to meet new people.
I will be moving with my boyfriend. Our budget is $1500 a month for an apartment in a nice neighborhood in either Manhattan or Brooklyn. The college I am attending is in Manhattan and if we get an apartment in Brooklyn I don't want to travel more than 30 mins to get to the college. And I also don't want to get lost on the subway system, as I find it confusing. But I am sure I will get used to it when I move there. The college is located in Times Square. What are some good, clean, and safe neighborhoods that fit our budget? I also have a few other concerns.
How easy will it be to make friends in NYC?
How do people in the city go grocery shopping? I mean do they eat out every night or haul all their grocery bags to their apartments?
Will I fit in as a southerner? Are there any other southerners on the forum here that can share how they adjusted to NYC?
How bad are the winters?
Should I bring my car? Or is there no need? If I lived in Manhattan I think bringing a car would be even more of a hassle.
1500 will get you something decent in Harlem, washington hieghts, east harlem and chelsea. Any where else in manhattan you and you significant other will need a roomate to pay part of yyour rent because most rent in manhattan exceeds above 2000 dollars. 1500 may get you something decent in fort green brooklyn maybe parkslope and sunset park.
Don't even think about bringing a car to Manhattan. Some parts of Brooklyn a car might be doable. If you can get rid of your car you might be able to afford a little bit more in an apartment though. Gas + insurance+ minor repairs probably costs you about 100 a month right? If you both don't have a car maybe you can afford 1600-1800 a month?
Hi so I can't answer all of your questions but I've lived here forever (save about 2 years that I lived in Washington DC for college but then I transfered to NY... there's really nothing like it here IMO) Anywho, here are some answers:
Making Friends
- The best place will be in school. Join lots of clubs, make friends in classes, DONT just go to class and then go home (you wont meet anyone that way). It's harder to make friends out of the blue because everyone is really in their own world out here and if someone just tried to strike up a conversation with you the automatic reaction is more like "what are you trying to sell me?" not "sure i'll give you my number so we could possibly be friends." Places like the village and other bar type places are good (you said you're going to college so I'm going to assume you're young like 18-25) since people are generally more receptive to meeting new people after a few drinks (not crazy drunk 'im not going to remember tonight tomorrow lol but more oh hey you're drinking im drinking. what can you join us? sure! what's your name ... you know the chatty drinker
grocery shopping
- you can get it delivered if you want. you can do it in shifts like once a week type deal. Or you can suck it up and take as much as you can carry. another way is now there are the services like Connect by hertz or zipcar etc that let you use their cars for a rental fee (read the fine print they may charge by the hour but you may find it's not always worth it... sometimes though it is especially if you aren't going to bring you're own car) Oh and you won't want to eat out every night that WILL get very expensive very quickly better spending $20-$50 a weeks on groceries (you'd be lucky if you didnt spend $100+ a week eating out)
Winters
- Are COLD and yucky but then every once in a while you'll see the pretty snow, the tree at rockefeller, the windows in macys, or maybe you'll decide to go ice skating in bryant park (WAY cheaper than rockefeller and only a few blocks away then it seems worth it... but most of the time you will be freezing (especially if you're used to the southern heat) trying not to slip on the ice and walking really fast, until you get to the vents that let all the hot air from the subway out (I usually pause there for a second because it really is warm lol)
The car
- this will depend a lot on you. There will be times when you will wish you had it (like after midnight when the trains run 20 minutes apart and you just missed the last one... been there too many times lol) but then there will be the times you will be so happy you didn't (insurance here is crazy expensive nothing like the south, no need to pay for gas, you get to have that I'm so glad i'm not driving smirk as you walk faster than the cars (you will know what i mean... NY is infamous for it's gridlock) and of course no alternate side parking which means you don't have to worry about getting a $55 ticket because you forgot to move you're car (or the garage fees... or shoving it out in the winter)
All in all, you'll do fine. You will have fun and love it. Make sure to take advantage of everything the city has to offer (yelp.com is awesome for the random times in life and if you need anything else then ask away all NY's don't fit the stereotype (some do ... but there are nice ones here to)
word of advice though try not to look too much like a tourist (ie looking up at the skyscrapers, looking nervous/scared, walking really slow (i think i speak for most new yorkers when i say we HATE that) ... and if someone tries to sell you something like tickets to a comedy show (lol you will see that a lot) just keep walking (yup ignore them) once you master that .. you're in
Hello NYers. I am highly considering moving to NYC for college. I have visited the city (Manhattan) before and would like to give NY a try. A little about me I am from Alabama, young black female, Conservative, and I love to meet new people.
I will be moving with my boyfriend. Our budget is $1500 a month for an apartment in a nice neighborhood in either Manhattan or Brooklyn. The college I am attending is in Manhattan and if we get an apartment in Brooklyn I don't want to travel more than 30 mins to get to the college. And I also don't want to get lost on the subway system, as I find it confusing. But I am sure I will get used to it when I move there. The college is located in Times Square. What are some good, clean, and safe neighborhoods that fit our budget? I also have a few other concerns.
How easy will it be to make friends in NYC?
How do people in the city go grocery shopping? I mean do they eat out every night or haul all their grocery bags to their apartments?
Will I fit in as a southerner? Are there any other southerners on the forum here that can share how they adjusted to NYC?
How bad are the winters?
Should I bring my car? Or is there no need? If I lived in Manhattan I think bringing a car would be even more of a hassle.
I plan on moving by the summer or fall of 2011.
I strongly recommend you do not go to the Times Square college. You should go to Columbia University since its close to Harlem. Times Square is all white, you won't last a minute over there. For Manhattan, Harlem. For Brooklyn, you should get a place in Fort Greene, Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, East New York, or Carnarsie
I strongly recommend you do not go to the Times Square college. You should go to Columbia University since its close to Harlem. Times Square is all white, you won't last a minute over there. For Manhattan, Harlem. For Brooklyn, you should get a place in Fort Greene, Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, East New York, or Carnarsie
Obviously this guy is on something. Times Square is extremely diverse. Race should not impact your decision. (if the referral was toward safety or the like then it would be a different story but race does not infer anything a person's character does). Now, Columbia is one of the hardest schools in the world to get into, that being said, if you can get in go there (you would still find a minority of "minorities" there.
Harlem is not the best area, in fact many people try to avoid it as there are constant gang related crimes there. It isn't all bad East Harlem for example isn't as bad and there are other parts but I don't live there so I couldn't really tell you.
In Brooklyn, the good areas are prretty much Williamsburg and Greenpoint (The areas that were said by 'tour_quarterback_12' are bad areas)
You may want to look into Astoria in Queens. Young demographic, hip area, cheaper rents but easy access to the city (about 25 minutes to times square).
And as a general note to tour_quarterback_12: Don't insult people by assuming that because they are a certain anything (in this case race) that means they should automatically go to a certain area.
hello nyers. I am highly considering moving to nyc for college. I have visited the city (manhattan) before and would like to give ny a try. A little about me i am from alabama, young black female, conservative, and i love to meet new people.
I will be moving with my boyfriend. Our budget is $1500 a month for an apartment in a nice neighborhood in either manhattan or brooklyn. The college i am attending is in manhattan and if we get an apartment in brooklyn i don't want to travel more than 30 mins to get to the college. And i also don't want to get lost on the subway system, as i find it confusing. But i am sure i will get used to it when i move there. The college is located in times square. What are some good, clean, and safe neighborhoods that fit our budget? I also have a few other concerns.
How easy will it be to make friends in nyc?
How do people in the city go grocery shopping? I mean do they eat out every night or haul all their grocery bags to their apartments?
Will i fit in as a southerner? Are there any other southerners on the forum here that can share how they adjusted to nyc?
How bad are the winters?
Should i bring my car? Or is there no need? If i lived in manhattan i think bringing a car would be even more of a hassle.
I plan on moving by the summer or fall of 2011.
i am from the east coast, now live in ca. I love new york, frequent manhattan and love it. $1500 is not enough. Don't need a car. The subways, taxi, and bus service is the best. Never used a car when i went. The traffic is really horrific, so there is no need for a car unless you live on the outskirts of ny. Then you can bus in, and use your car at home. It's a little tough making in friends at first, but east coast people have way more respect than the west coast. They will tell you how it is to your face. They are outspoken. You will have respect for them and them for you. None of the racist pigs like ca. Their are grocery stores, but in town mostly people eat out. I think you will find ny very fast paced compared to layed back ca. But make yourself fit it. You will find it so much nicer, much less racism, people don't have time for drama like here. Life style is very busy, but new yorkers are always willing to help you out. There is so much to do and the food is out of this world. There is no comparison to ny,east coast food. It is awesome. The subways may seem confusing at first, but it is the most sophisticated system in the us and you will see it is very simple once you get the routes down. The people and police in ny are so used to tourist needing assistance, anyone will help you. As for the education, i don't even need to tell you that ny as with most east coast schools, top some of the best schools in the us. There is so much opportunity for education, training, and professional jobs. You will struggle at first, but it is the best move you will ever make. You will never look back. I am very sorry that i made the move 3 years ago to the west coast. I'm going back to the east coast in the near future and settling in or around ny. New yorkers are wild and crazy, but in a good way. Opportunity is the key, and it is all there. I wish you the best of luck and don't hesitate, make the move. You and your boyfriend will not be sorry. Sadly, ca is not what it appears. New york is everything and more.
i strongly recommend you do not go to the times square college. You should go to columbia university since its close to harlem. Times square is all white, you won't last a minute over there. For manhattan, harlem. For brooklyn, you should get a place in fort greene, bed-stuy, brownsville, east new york, or carnarsie
i just want to comment on the above comment of time square is all white, uh no it is not all white. The fact is that there are people of every color and culture in ny and especially time square. You will not have any race issues in any of these areas. You are making a great choice in the college you are choosing. I am only concerned about your budget. You will want to live close to the college and i believe rent is higher. I love time square and manhattan, but very expensive. Brooklyn a bit less. I wouldn't be concerned, diversity in new york is completely different than from ca. Ca is extremely diverse, but extremely racist. Ny is extremely diverse, but way less racist. People are better educated in the east coast and in ny with much more respect in ny than ca. Believe me i lived on the east coast my whole life over 46 years. Moved here in ca 3 years ago and this is a racist whole. Not ny. I am going back. My family is pa, ny, ct, fl. Nc. And yes there is racism everywhere sadly, but ny is nothing like ca. You will be fine. Be careful who you listen to here in ca. Most only traveled to ny they didn't live there, i have family there and i have been east coaster for my whole life. You will see when you get there that ca is the nightmare, not ny. I wish you the best of luck. You will make it. Anything is possible in ny.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mr. Fantastic
irvine has gangs? Where do they congregate? At the spectrum?
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(not crazy drunk 'im not going to remember tonight tomorrow lol but more oh hey you're drinking im drinking. what can you join us? sure! what's your name ... you know the chatty drinker 
but then every once in a while you'll see the pretty snow, the tree at rockefeller, the windows in macys, or maybe you'll decide to go ice skating in bryant park (WAY cheaper than rockefeller and only a few blocks away 
