WHAT’S IT LIKE TO LIVE IN NYC

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As many of you know, I was born and raised in NYC. I have been blessed to live in the Lower East Side, which I think is one of the best neighborhoods in Manhattan. I created my blog with my upbringing as an identity, hence the name MARIANNYC. I am very proud to be from this state mainly because I know so many people would dream to live here. There’s actually a lot of people that I know that have moved here to live here and it’s a bit rare to meet people who are actually native New Yorkers. I think there are misconceptions that New Yorkers are rude, so I wanted to write about what it’s like to live in NYC and the lessons I’ve learned over the years.

1. New Yorkers are driven: I would consider myself a very motivated and driven person and I think it definitely has to do with the city and its open doors for endless possibilities. I was never the one to wait for something to happen. I never got anything handed to me on a silver platter, so I always went out of my way to get what I want. This is one of the best things I love about NYC. I think you are bound to feed off the hustle, which is why so many people come here to pursue their dreams.
2. We are always on the go: This relates to the first point of being driven, but I feel like you can identify New Yorkers by their walking speed. I am always on the go because the city never sleeps! There is so much going on every hour of the day and I think that’s why we always seem like we are in a rush. When I am hanging out with friends who aren’t from the city, they always tell me that I am walking extremely fast and sometimes I don’t even realize it. We also don’t drive here, so in order for us to get to our destinations, we need to walk or take the subway which is what attributes to our constant on the go mindset.
3. We have tough skin: I don’t think New Yorkers are necessarily rude, but I think we have thick skin. There are a lot of crazy things that happen in the city and I think I have seen it all so I know how to react to it. I don’t take anything personally especially if people are pushing me at the subway or bump into my in the streets. I just shrug it off because I know that’s part of the city life.
4. We don’t dislike tourists, we just dislike people who block the streets: You can ask any New Yorker about this fact and I can guarantee that they will agree. Yes, it’s a little hypocritical because I love traveling and being a tourist in other countries, but it really irritates me when people stop on the streets to take pictures. Although I am used to this and have tried to change my attitude, I think it disrupts the movement of the city since so many people are on the go. A lot of people also associate New York with Times Square, but I actually try to avoid that place as much as possible because there’s just too many people in my way.
5. Anything is possible in NYC: Yes, this might sound cliche, but I truly believe that’s the essence and vibe of the city. You hear so many stories about how people went from nothing to making it big in NYC. This ties in with some of my previous points and I love that I never feel defeated living here. Yes, it an be overwhelming but I thrive off the energy of the city. It has made me more productive and proactive and I owe my motivation to NYC.

I would love to hear what you think about NYC. If you are a Native New Yorker, do you agree with my points? And what do you love about your city/ country?