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I'm from L.A. and going to Hofstra University in Hempstead, Long Island. They offered me full scholarship, but I really don't want to stay in Hempstead. I want to live in Manhattan.
My parents already agreed to get me an apartment and a car. I only have class 3-4 days a week, so it won't be bad. But please tell me, how long do you think it will take me to commute in the morning and coming back in the evening?
If you will be living in Manhattan, you probably won't need the car and depending on where you live you won't be able to park it anyway! The Long Island railroad is the best choice and it would take you about an hour from Penn Station on West 34 St.
If you do get a car, you may want to keep it on campus until you need it. The communte by car into the city can be a killer, an hour and a half+ would not be unusual during rush hours.
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Don't forget about the tolls too. Unless you take the 59th st bridge, which I don't think would be a good idea anyway because that's not really on the way to Hempstead.
And car insurance in the city is very expensive. Not to mention the garage....
WHY do you want a car in the city?
You can get off the LIE before the midtown tunnel in Long Island City and it's right nearby the 59th St. Bridge. But because it's a no-toll bridge the traffic is always really horrible there.
I think you might want to reconsider living in Manhattan, because you'll be just about the only one who does. So all your classmates will socialize on LI but you'll be in Manhattan. Just a thought about fitting in.
For a decent area in Manhattan the rents start at $2,000 a month for a studio (and a small studio at that). To get a parking spot you're going to have to shell out an additional $400-$500 a month. This doesn't even include the higher costs of utilities, gasoline, and food.
Why not just live in the dorms? If you really want to live closer to the city you could also move to Queens where at least the rent is somewhat affordable.
Well, I want to move to Manhattan because of this really great internship.
And having a car is no issue. I've stayed in Manhattan for extended periods of time with my cousins, and they have a car. Most of their friends did too. I never understood the big deal over owning a car, it was no trouble. Maybe it's no problem for people who can afford it. Insurance/parking/tolls costs won't be an issue for my parents, who will be paying for it. They're the ones who suggested it anyway.
But, I've decided to just stick with Fordham University in the Bronx, living in Manhattan and commuting back and fourth.
I go to Hofstra University and I'm about to go into my second year. I live in CA so I'm in the same position you are. I really want to have a car there because LI is like how it is here: a suburb. Everything is so close yet so far, you need some sort of transportation to get somewhere. I spend about $7-10 each way to go to the store or mall just to get shampoo, body wash, clothes etc. The amount I spend on that is either the same or more in gas money. A lot of times I would feel trapped or suffocated on campus and when I would just want to get away from my roomate or go with my friends to the movies and I couldn't because it's such a hassle to get a taxi and have to pay for that. Especially when I go into the city, taking the train every single time sucks and sometimes takes forever. I think I would have a much better year if I brought my car. Hofstra is definitely not a college town or not even really a college campus. We're like in a little bubble of our own. It is a good college despite all the bad things people say about it, but it does has it's ups and down like any college. I just want anyone's opinion if I should bring a car out there because my mom doesn't want me to have it this year and wants me to wait next year. I don't see the point but what do you guys think?
Well the thing is, I live on campus. We have more than enough parking spaces and I don't go out into the city every weekend. The car for me would be more of a necessity than using it to go to a bar or to go clubbing. That's not what I had in mind when I wanted to bring my car. Sooo, ugh I don't know what to do.
If you can park on campus at a reasonable cost, it might be nice to have the car around.
I found it relatively easy to use mass transit, however.
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