Ah New York, there’s truly no place like it.
I knew New York was its own world but having lived here for several years, I’ve learned just how much it changes you. While it’s impossible to fully articulate the good, bad, and the ugly of living in New York, these are the telltale signs that you’re transforming into a New Yorker.
50 Signs That You’re A New Yorker
- You say you’re standing “on line” not “in line”
- You’re constantly jaywalking
- You don’t notice the constant honking
- You’re used to schlepping heavy bags
- You know the New York pronunciation of Houston
- You have a mostly black wardrobe
- You know how to avoid people with clipboards
- You’re used to seeing movie sets in your neighborhood
- You feel strange driving a car
- You know which stores/cafes have nice public bathrooms
- You say uptown or downtown to refer to north and south
- You’re used to going to crammed house parties
- You’ve picked up furniture from the curb
- You’ve mastered alternate street parking
- The first question you ask someone when you meet them is, “Where are you from?”
- You’ve walked down the street eating a slice of pizza or a bagel
- When you leave the city, everything seems cheap
- You’ve gotten used to living in a dorm room-sized apartment
- You’re used to hearing foreign languages
- You don’t leave your house without headphones
- You have a bodega you frequent
- You’re always in a hurry
- You’re used to hearing garbage trucks or trains all night long
- You’ve had a celebrity sighting
- You’ve seen a business shut down and another one replace it
- Walking an hour isn’t a big deal
- You’re more likely to go out on a weeknight than on a weekend
- You don’t make dinner reservations earlier than 8pm
- You become more opened minded to different cultures and perspectives
- You know how to zip around hordes of tourists
- Even in the midst of millions of people, you feel like you own the city
- You’ve seen people move furniture on the train or bike
- You make a distinction between outside/train/street clothes and home clothes
- You recognize the people who live in your neighborhood even if you’ve never met them
- You refuse to take an Uber or cab
- You keep your windows open during the winter
- You’re used to “shows” on the subway
- You have a regular rotation of places you get food delivered from because it’s often cheaper/more convenient than cooking in your tiny kitchen
- You’ve cried on the street or train
- You’ve participated in or cheered on the New York Marathon
- You’ve been in or witnessed a screaming fight between a pedestrian and a cab
- You get annoyed at people who stand at the subway turnstile looking for their metro card
- You’re unphased by rats
- You know to avoid empty subway cars
- You treat parks or the West Side Highway like your backyard
- You know when museums have free or discounted admission days
- You know your subway line like the back of your hand
- You have an endless list of restaurants to try
- You never go to Times Square (unless your parents are visiting you)
- You won’t admit it, but you’ll never leave New York City
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