If the New York City you know comes from the famous films and series, you must have already fallen in love with this metropolis. However, like any other big city, NYC is much more than bright streets and charming, fashionable people. The real Big Apple is the one you’ll meet once when you come to live there. And, that’s exactly when your struggle with its real lifestyle starts. Now, if you are coming from Pennsylvania’s largest city, and you come to Big Apple to stay, here is one brief and useful Philadelphian’s guide to surviving New York City.

The good old financial point

No matter where in the world you come from, and what life you are used to, chances are high, that New York City would surprise you with its standard. Living back there is quite expensive indeed. Starting with finding the best and the most affordable neighborhood to paying monthly bills and buying groceries. All in all, you’ll need a good starting fund, and a well-developed financial plan, that will cover your first months in the city. What’s more, it’s important to start the apartment search on time. Finding the perfect combination of a good and not too expensive one isn’t easy, but is not impossible either. The more time you have, the more options you’ll see. So don’t leave anything to chance. Star on time, and invest wisely. After that, when you get the appropriate job, and your budget recovers from the previous moving expedition, things will be much easier.

Prepare in advance.

Moving around the city- Philadelphian’s guide to surviving New York City

Going from point A to point B along the busy streets of the city of New York is not such an easy task. Thus, no matter whether you are about to go to work, go shopping, or take a late-night ride from downtown, here are some tips that can help you out.

1. Make some use of the residents and modern technology

Getting lost in a big city is nothing strange, really. And, if you are an NYC newcomer, once when Zippy Shell of Greater Philadelphia team takes you to your new home, you’ll have to manage it on your own. Probably, every street and every square will look like each other. It’ll take time until you meet at least some of the neighborhoods. Yet, even then, you may sometimes need some help moving around.

Helping with directions is what New Yorkers are very used to. What’s more, if you get into trouble with finding a street or using the right subway line, you’ll see that the city residents are usually very helpful and friendly. Here again, try to be quick and concise, New Yorkers don’t like wasting time. However, if you want to stay in New York for good, it’s better to find your own navigation. Google Maps, for example, are the best solution here. So, in case you don’t already have this app installed on your smartphone, make sure you do it as soon as possible.

Living in a hive.

2. Get ready for the crowd

Maybe you are not used to that back in Philadelphia, but people who live in The Big Apple are always in a hurry. They don’t like wasting time, and so they have learned how to move around in a crowded city efficiently, and reach their destinations quickly. Therefore, if you decide to move to NYC, you’d better master these skills as soon as possible:

• Using the right side of the road is always right.
• Avoid stopping in the middle of the street to look for your mobile, keys, or to see a map. People will run into you in a hurry.
• Make sure you don’t use the bike line unless you are riding a bike. Otherwise, you may get stuck in the crowd, losing your way and your mind.

3. Get yourself a MetroCard

There is no better way to get somewhere in NYC than by subway. Not only is it practical and easy to use, but it is also quite affordable. If you decide to get yourself a MetroCard, it will cost you a dollar. Then all you need to do is to top up your card from time to time and use it for your ride that will come for less than three dollars per each. However, there is one important rule here- never go into an empty subway car. There must be a reason why nobody else is in there already.

Get everywhere at any time.

Prepare for their weather

New Yorkers say that the weather in their city can be a bit tricky. In fact, it can change so rapidly during only one day. It starts with nice, sunny weather, then in a couple of hours, it’ll rain, so that eventually you would end up with some show. Therefore, don’t let yourself be surprised. Listen to the advice of the Philadelphian’s guide to surviving New York City, and fill your bags with all sorts of clothes. And, remember one more thing. Never do packing all by yourself. If you rely on the experience and prepare with expert’s help, everything will be done in no time.

Living by the schedule

No matter whether you are about to explore the city, or you just want to go through the day with the least stress possible, in NYC it’s good to have a schedule. It may sound strange at first, but in such a huge city even a small shopping can be an adventure. And whichever part of NYC you live in, if you want to get somewhere else, you should make up a good plan to find the easiest way. Therefore, always make schedules, and stick to them.

Life in NYC can be really great. It has so much to offer, and almost everyone can find his place in the sun there. And although it all takes time, we hope this Philadelphian’s guide to surviving New York City will help you blend in faster.