What Every Parent Needs To Know About Living In NYC

Many people believe that New York City is one of the greatest places in the world to live in. they have arguably the best food, best entertainment and basically better everything than any other place. Living in NYC may take some getting used to, especially if you grew up in a smaller city. Everyone who has moved to NYC has not turned back and has fallen in love with the city.

If you are a parent whose child plans on moving to NYC to study, you may have your concerns. Below is a list of the most important things to know about living in NYC which will hopefully help you with this major transition.

Things To Know About Moving To NYC

  1. Free wifi – most places in NYC offer free wifi. Public libraries and coffee shops alike will hook you up with free wifi so that you can start working anywhere. If your apartment suddenly has poor wifi signal or no internet coverage, you can go almost anywhere to pick up an internet connection.
  2. It may be confusing hailing a cab – one tip when hailing a cab in NYC is to look at the white cone at the top which feature ads. Below the ad you will notice a black band which has a set of numbers. This is a sign that the taxi is available. If the light is off then the cab is not currently in service however if it is on then you may go ahead and hail the cab.
  3. Housing for students – when searching for student housing, don’t book with someone who is not verified. Try to get as much information as possible. Ask for many photos, find out the floor plan and size of the house. Words like quaint and charming often mean that the apartment is tiny. Be very careful when signing leases. Try to acquire a student co-living space which will usually have students living together in one apartment, or home. They each have their own room but share spaces like the living room, bathroom and kitchen. This is an ideal arrangement for students as they have the option of living in great homes with many facilities where the cost is shared amongst all the occupants.
  4. You don’t need cash – many of the vendors in NYC carry card machines so you don’t have to bother with carrying cash around. As a parent you won’t have to bother that your child does not know where the closest ATM is, as they can easily swipe their cards anywhere, even with the street vendors.
  5. NYC is expensive – while NYC is expensive, it pays to find ways to save. Cooking at home instead of getting take out every day is one way of doing so. You can find many other ways of saving like visiting the dollar store or packing snacks from home when sightseeing.
  6. Rent storage – since most apartments are small and expensive, it will help to travel light or rent storage space elsewhere as you will not be able to fit all your belongings in your apartment, or shared home.
  7. Most people don’t own a car – research shows that around 56% of New Yorkers don’t own a car, because it is almost impossible to find parking spaces. Most people who do own cars, spend about an hour searching for a parking spot in the evenings.
  8. Get to know the subway well – this is the best way to get around in the city and people living in NYC generally know the subway well. It may seem confusing at first but once you download the subway map, you will be good to go.
  9. Fun doesn’t always mean expensive – NYC has beautiful beaches so you don’t always have to be dining out, or sightseeing. You can opt for a day at the beach on a sunny day. Beaches like Coney Island and Rockaway Beach are great to consider.
  10. NYC has five boroughs – they are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. Each of them is a little city with their own neighborhoods. Queens is the biggest by area, Brooklyn is the greatest by population, and Manhattan is the most expensive.
  11. Find the neighborhood for you – every neighborhood in NYC has its own unique personality. Find the neighborhood that suits you. You will find this by trial and error and may need to try out a few places before you find one that fits.

Moving to NYC may seem scary at first but it is welcoming, diverse and a city full of diversity and opportunities.

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