Little Julia, Big City

Or Should I Say Big… Bugs?

Today marks day 100 in my first New York City home. 100 days, and I really haven’t had a spare afternoon to sit down and write this until now. That should give you some clue as to what I’m about to write.

99 days ago, I was still sitting at my dining room table in Westchester, NY. I was tired, recovering from endless days and nights spent stressfully scouring Streeteasy, RentHop, Apartments.com, Facebook, and so on, all in search of an apartment that might never come. I was nervous, having never lived in my own apartment before, relying only on myself. But most of all, I was truly elated. Nothing could compare to the excitement I felt to finally start this next chapter of my life, arguably the most important one.

Now, I am sitting at a desk I assembled myself, in a flex room, in a tiny 1-bedroom apartment, in a 17-story apartment building, in Kips Bay, New York. No, I refuse to call it Murray Hill. Shut up.

I’m here to reveal my thoughts, post-100 days of city living. Let me begin by saying that “city living” is nowhere near as glamorous as it sounds (what, you didn’t think the flex room sounded glamorous?). It comes with a rent price tag that I am honestly embarrassed to disclose, along with loads of other responsibilities, worries, and challenges. But New York City is what I wanted, and New York City is what I got.

People often ask if you want to hear the good news or the bad news first; well, I’m going to give you the bad news first. That is usually my preference.

The bad news is that, frankly, New York City is gross. It’s dirty. It smells. There are bugs — HUGE bugs — and they are not respectful of your space. There are rats and mice too, but so far they seem respectful enough. You end up sweating pretty much everywhere you go, no matter what time of year it is. It’s loud. It’s crowded almost everywhere. It oftentimes doesn’t feel all that safe. And last but certainly not least, it is expensive beyond belief. I feel like every time I step out of my apartment I come back home at least 20 dollars poorer. I’m not even sure how it happens sometimes.

Now for the good news. It feels so good to be here. I had watched my friends experience life in the city through my phone screen for so many months, and now I am an active participant in these adventures. I felt as if my life was on hold for quite a while before coming here, and I finally reached the point where I could click unpause. I don’t want to spend another second wasting my 20s. So despite the horrifying bugs, the noise, the lack of a real door/wall in my bedroom, and a quickly depleting bank account, I have the biggest smile on my face.

Say I’m feeling bored and just want to chill with someone and watch Love Island? Easy. Just need to satisfy candy cravings at my friendly neighborhood 7/11? Done. What more does a girl really need?

All jokes aside, I really am just happy to be here. Sure, I do miss hanging out with my parents. And the free food. And the free lodging. But I needed this. I needed to see friends that I haven’t seen in months. I needed to get out of Westchester, see new sights, try new restaurants, go on dates, go to concerts, go on random adventures, and discover what excites me. I needed to stay out until 3am dancing with friends, although my sleep schedule certainly didn’t. I needed to live.

Seeing as I’ve lived here for a bit now, I’d like to conclude by sharing some things I’ve learned. For anyone who is hoping to move to New York City, listen up. For those who do live here, if you know you know.

1. Crosswalk signals don’t matter. I don’t care what you say, New Yorkers simply do not care for crosswalk signs. As long as there isn’t a car seconds away from smacking into you, you’re good to go. And don’t even get me started on bikers. They have their own set of rules entirely.
2. There are no thermostats in city buildings. Well, at least not the ones I can afford. The temperature of your unit is basically at the mercy of your landlord or building manager and you have zero control over it. The building simply turns on the heat when they feel like it and turns it off when they don’t.
3. The huge bugs that you think are roaches are actually water bugs. I won’t spend any more time describing those nasty things. But beware — no matter how much you clean or take precautions, they will still find a way in. You are never safe.
4. Everything is physically exhausting. Just grabbing a bagel with a friend?Exhausting. Just need to run to Trader Joe’s for some kale pesto? You will likely need to sit on the couch and recuperate when you get back. I mentioned earlier that you end up sweating everywhere you go — this couldn’t be more true.
5. It goes 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Lexington, Park, Madison, 5th. And so on. Let’s say that again, shall we? 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Lexington, Park, Madison, 5th. You wouldn’t believe how many people live on the East side and do not know this.
6. Public bathrooms are extremely scarce. Yesterday, I saw a TikTok account dedicated to disclosing the locations of NYC public bathrooms to its followers. That should tell you everything you need to know.
7. Going out after 11? Good luck. Lines, lines, lines. And more lines. Maybe I’m just picking the wrong bars. But it is also intern season in NYC, and with it brings more crowding, more cover charges, and, unfortunately, more COVID.
8. Carry cash on you. I am not typically one to go to the bank and take out cash. I am a big fan of Venmo, cuz who isn’t these days? But if you’re in Central Park and randomly decide you want a soft pretzel (AKA, if you are Olivia Hill), you better make sure you have a $5 on you.
9. Parks are an excellent way to “escape” the city. They might still be crowded, but the city’s numerous parks are the best way to take a breather from the craziness that is New York. Find a secluded spot under a tree in Central Park and you might almost forget that you’re smack in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world.
10. You will see some crazy shit at least once a week. Most of my weird stories so far have involved men on the streets peeing on or in things. Charming, right? I will not elaborate. Here’s hoping that my next crazy story is running into someone famous instead.

So there you have it, after 100 days of anxiously waiting on the edge of your seats for my thoughts. Ha.

Things have been going pretty smoothly so far, but I know there will be many more lessons to learn and new things to try as I continue to settle in here. Next on the list — attempt to conquer the Citi Bikes.

Because I am a girl living in New York and writing about New York, I feel as if there is only one appropriate way to sign off here. XOXO, Gossip Girl