I F***ING HATE NEW YORK
Just saw a freaking mouse walk leisurely in my $2,000 apartment!!!! this city is so god damn filthy. I walk around and it smells like dog piss everywhere, everyone is so rude, subways suck a**.....eh, that was me just venting, but I will probably live here for the next couple of years. Tomorrow I will just walk into a CVS while smelling the fresh piss and trash, buy some mouse traps and hope to catch the little sucker.
Is New York Really Any Worse Than Other Cities?
New York has a reputation as being filthy, rude, and overpriced but is it really so much worse than other major American cities? It is filthy and expensive but so is Chicago, San Diego, and DC. If you’re serious about a career in finance, New York is definitely where the action is.
The below video shows the expectatons vs reality of life in New York.
I’ve been in NY 5 years now after going to school in LA and then spending 2 years in Chicago. When moving to Manhattan you can find a $1200-$1500 apartment in a nice area so long as you're willing to have a roommate. You're going to grocery shop and pick your spots when to go out happy hour spots. A year or two of that and you should be making enough money in finance to move up to a nicer building where you're gonna pay $2500+ a month. You won't find NY to be that dirty if you choose a decent area. UWS, UES, Tribeca, Battery Park, West Village are all about as clean as a you-name-it next tier city. That said NY is definitely overpriced, yet there's just not enough land in Manhattan to justify a fall in prices (needless to say how many more people rent now compared to when everyone was buying when I moved here). You can get just about anywhere in the city in 30-minutes for $2.25.Career opportunities in finance are incomparable to other cities. People essentially rotate into various sectors and take a step up when need be, the chance to be discovered, recruited, and promoted in the industry are significantly higher than in other cities. In Boston, Philly, Chi, LA etc. you're much more locked into whatever job you've chosen - especially post-crash era.
The places I'd avoid like the plague to call home: 14th, 23rd, Murray Hill. Otherwise, NY is fine.
How To Make The Most Of Living In New York
Many of those struggling with New York are fresh out of college and have never lived in a city before. Also, when you’re working 70 plus hours a week, you’re not getting out to truly enjoy a place but if you take the time to really explore, you’d probably be surprised by what you find. It’s going to take at least a couple years, if not more, to find your niche in any city. To finds the goods, you have to be willing to explore and step out of your financial world bubble.
I grew up in New York City (actually within the 5 boroughs, unlike every person in the world who says they are from NYC but is really from a strong island or Westchester/New Jersey. Not to pick on Wonderwoman above, but I'd be willing to bet today's paycheck that by "native new yorker" he/she means Westchester), and totally agree it's not for everybody. Its stressful as hell, and definitely smells like shit. But it is what it is. It's the capital of the world. You can literally do anything in this city. Everything is here.Anyone who says "the neighborhoods are crap" sounds like a tourist asking why they only have Applebees and TGI Fridays in NYC. That isn't an opinion, that's just ignorance. Anyone who hasn't ever stepped foot into park slope or Brooklyn Heights or the older parts of Tribeca and West Village have no clue what NYC is about. Calling "Midtown" New York City is just plain stupid. Midtown is the worst place in the entire world. That's why no actual New Yorker does anything there except go into their office. And maybe is it possible that because most people here are 23-year-olds who have no connection to the city they might be skewed on the type of city it is? Shit, if all I saw was Murray Hill, I would hate this town too. Once you actually live somewhere and explore it you find the cool places. That's what happens when you live somewhere. I lived in London for a year and found the places I love early because I was willing to explore. That means walking around a ton and getting lost, and eventually finding the awesome random places that make a city home. I suggest you do the same.
So this weekend, instead of getting bombed at Mercury Bar, get a drink at Maialino, walk around Gramercy, go to sleep, then get up and walk on Greenwich St. below canal and see a cool part of NYC. That walk is one of the hundreds of cool parts of NYC. Just breathe in the old warehouse architecture, and see how actual new yorkers live.
Read More About Life In NYC On WSO
- 2 Reasons Why You Should Consider Chicago Over NYC
- Living Outside New York City To Avoid NYC Tax
- Life In New York City
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Put krokodil in the mousetrap.
lol i've been thinking about moving out as well. think about it:
$120k salary in NYC minus living expenses and other filthy crap = left with ~30k.
$100k salary in DC/Boston/Penn doing same shit = left with ~50k and higher standard of living.
my opinion is, unless you're an associate banking real money, living in nyc with 3 roommates cramped to a studio is stupid as fuck.
That's simply not true. You think that you'd have $40k less annual expenses in Boston/DC? Your rent may be $2-500 a month cheaper which gives you, at the top end, $6k a year in savings. Other than that, your expenses are really not much different in those cities than they are in NY. Even adding 50% to your entertainment expenses (which is much higher than the true delta) for NYC doesn't approach the numbers you're talking about.
You are not going to get a much better living situation in DC, plus finance is weak there. If you want higher standard of living and a solid salary, try Chicago. The East Coast is going to be very expensive until you hit Charlotte.
yeah fuck that town
nothing like the huge swarms of rats in the subways or on the streets near NYU
memories to last a lifetime
and don't even get me started on the rodents
I'm glad I'm not the only one who isn't in love with this city. I just moved here in June, and so far I think the place is a fucking dump.
I don't understand the native New Yorker's unconditional love of NYC.
i think it comes from the attention and superficial "prestige" that non-New Yorkers associate NYC with. Yes, Manhattan and the upper east/west sides are filled with wealthy bankers and lawyers and hedge fund MDs but that isn't the REAL nyc.
honestly I was in Miami once - and this waitress asked me where I was from and I said "New York City" and her eyes lit up and was like "oh! wow so you must be very rich then! I can't imagine possibly ever living there - just don't have that kind of money!"
retarded.
Living in NYC is awful unless you're rich. The rent is outrageous for the substandard piece of crap apartment you get, there's trash and filth everywhere, and for a single guy, there just aren't that many attractive girls. It's probably the most overrated city in the world.
Could have quoted any post in the thread, here's my take. I've been in NY 5 years now after going to school in LA and then spending 2 years in Chicago. When moving to Manhattan you can find a $1200-1500 apartment in a nice area so long as you're willing to have a roommate. You've gonna grocery shop and pick your spots when to go out, happy hour spots. A year or two of that and you should be making enough money in finance to move up to a nicer building where you're gonna pay $2500+ a month. You won't find NY to be that dirty if you choose a decent area. UWS, UES, Tribeca, Battery Park, West Village are all about as clean as a you-name-it next tier city. That said NY is definitely over priced, yet there's just not enough land in Manhattan to justify a fall in prices (needless to say how many more people rent now compared to when everyone was buying when I moved here). You can get just about anywhere in the city in 30-minutes for $2.25.
Career opportunities in finance are incomparable to other cities. People essentially rotate into various sectors and take a step up when need be, the chance to be discovered, recruited, and promoted in the industry are significantly higher than in other cities. In Boston, Philly, Chi, LA etc. you're much more locked into whatever job you've chosen - especially post-crash era.
Like any city NY has target rich areas, difference is that in NY you can bring a hot corporate girl home with you. On paper the average girl in Manhattan should be better than other northern cities but I think it's just about even with Chicago (and above Boston, Philly etc mostly because the career-oriented nature of the city/expenses drag things down). Where NY differs is on the top-end. Go to the Plaza Hotel day or night, Meatpacking Dist at night, West Village and you will see 9s and 10s. Go to Tao. If you live here you know where to go, if visiting then probably not. NY girls are more approachable, everyone walks, drinks, and cabs. They out number us and so long as you're decent at life you can have a good looking girlfriend. LA is too weird/flaky/parasitic, valuing connections and money over all else, while Chicago is much too conservative for my liking (there's tons of 7's but the lack of basic sophistication always turned me off to them). I just got back from East Hampton this morning and saw tremendous talent all over. Brunettes, blondes, smart, dumb, models, PR wannabe broads, tri-state rich girls. There's no scene quite like a strong Hamptons party/polo (I don't own or even share there, just tag along for the ride once in a while). Between Jersey, LI/Hamps, Newport (best summer place ever), Boston/Cape you have so many places to go. So long as you have a good job being in NY is where it's at until your mid 30s.
The places I'd avoid like the plague to call home: 14th, 23rd, Murray Hill. Otherwise NY is fine.
Why avoid those places specifically?
I used to work in Northwest DC and i have to say man... DC has a plethora of attractive females.
Yeah cause Philly or Boston isn't filled with piss and homeless people. NYC is expensive but worth it in many regards. Put a mouse trap out and go get laid. Every city is a shit hole.
Just came from spending four years in Boston. Boston is about 10x cleaner than NYC and doesn't smell all the time. Please don't compare Boston to Philly...not really close at all.
Two things I don't like about Boston: 1) The subway sucks (but you can usually just walk to where you need to be) 2) The homeless people, while fewer per capita than NYC, are more aggressive
i know this wasn't meant to be funny at all but ...LOL.
Philly is a shithole, but boston is pretty nice, especially if you're a student. MUCH cleaner than NYC. Of course, Chicago beats all of them.
Chicago is just as much of a ghetto and shithole as every other city. You guys are fucking nuts. Boston is small as shit.
Jesus, some people can't handle living in a city at all. Sucks that you chose finance.
That's right about Chicago
You obviously have not been to San Diego.
Obviously you have never been to San Diego.
How is the culture?
What about exit ops?
I'm honestly SO glad to read this. I have hated NYC for a while now. What gets me the most is when the random smell of dog p*ss and trash is unexpected. You'll be walking down the street, everything smells fine and then the smell just hits you right in the face. And the random drops of water that fall on you as you walk down the street (I've been told they are from air conditioning units) I hate that so so much. Also, my apartment sucks, especially for its ridiculous price.
If I didn't need to live close to the office, I would move out of this city in a heartbeat.
Yeah, Boston doesn't smell like piss because it is 1/10th the size of NYC. Philly is twice the size of Boston and a fucking shit hole.
I don't know, I go to NYC very regularly and never have an issue. I think it is more the person than the city. Unless you go to Pittsburgh or some other micro city , you are going to deal with homeless people and pissy subways, etc.
Deal with it and enjoy yourself.
I live in a west coast city. it is very clean and smells great all the time. cost of living is approx same as new york however my apt is much much nicer than what i would get in ny for the same price. have plenty of friends who live in new york and am planning on moving back there once i can afford to get a baller place in the west village.
that said, I took the bus home tonight (before cab expense time), and a blackout drunk homeless man got on and pissed himself and started yelling about it. hysterical
homeless people are in every city, comes with the territory
San Francisco is a gross city too
Thanks for calling me out, however if that is your opinion you have probably been spending too much time in the Mission.
Also, where would you rather be hungover? SF with overcast skies and crisp cool air or new york with 110 degree heat in the subway stations and festering piles of garbage bags on the sidewalks?
I guess you didn't quite grasp the concept of 'cost of living' did you?
Not sure where you live but I pay more for a similar sized high rise apartment here than in NYC. And I’ve seen a lot more than just a homeless person pissing on himself; there are numerous cases of homeless fucks molesting people outside their doors! I personally saw a stoner smear vomit all over the walls of a theater here. SF is so much worse than NYC; only real perks are proximity to great scenic spots and consistent weather
Well I agree that homeless people are an issue. The police should be tougher on them and push them to the outer fringes. No reason that homeless people should be in the middle of the city ruining things. I mean c'mon, piss yourself on the bus. Put that fucker in jail and in hard labor.
in a country where you can get away with killing your baby daughter and almost land a $1 Million book deal off of it...i think homeless people should get PAID by tax payers for committing pissing crimes and other public acts of indecency.
NYC is boss all other answers are false
Homeless people should be put to work in exchange for room and board. They are basically human rats, making a city shitty.
And Casey Anthony is hot. Fact.
There is so much fucking wrong with this. +1 ANT, you outdid yourself that time.
Most of them are working but cannot afford the rents because Hipsters have jacked up the rents so no one can live here.
boston is absolutely gorgeous
Grew up outside NYC, live in London now. NYC is easily the most overrated city I have ever been to. At street level most of Manhattan seriously lacks character, the whole of Midtown is a dump full of chain restaurants and offices, and I HATE the fact that you are no more than a 3 min walk from a road that resembles a bloody highway. In London I want to walk around neighborhoods and explore the city, in NYC I just don't find myself that drawn into many of the areas. Some of downtown is great, but I think I only think that because they are the neighborhoods that closest resemble London.
Boston and SF are beautiful, clean cities
Chicago and NYC are feral shitholes
Don't even conflate them. No comparison at all.
SF is definitely clean and I love the city, but you're kidding yourself if you think it doesn't have a huge amount of homeless people.
"The city of San Francisco, California, due to its mild climate and its social programs that have provided cash payments for homeless individuals, is often considered the homelessness capital of the United States."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness_in_the_United_States#San_Fran…
Come to the South.
The south has all the ladies
God Bless.
It's true, there are tons of gorgeous girls down here but the jobs are lacking and pretty much non-existent. Trust me.
True... Try visiting Charleston, SC (not a big city though) when school is in session near summertime.
I live in Berlin and was thinking of moving to New York. I think this convinces me enough to not move to NYC. Anyone else has idea how would be Tokyo in comparison to NY cos I am going there soon for 5 months. I hope I will have good experience and won't have to smell dog piss on streets.
in Tokyo, not only will you be smelling dog piss on the streets, in some select alleys you'll also smell the amazingly deliciously zesty rotting human flesh from the earthquakes. i recommend the alley on 17th and hamukuma st. i heard they got great deceased humans of the former samurai family class.
Scary but I guess we need more opinions before I decide to change my plans to go to Tokyo. I think as of now I will have to go to Tokyo because going to NY is not available anymore.
Whoa, what was wrong with my statement? Casey Anthony is pretty hot.
And homeless people who piss and shit on public transportation, who hassle people all day, who rummage through trash and make a mess, who pass out on drugs or drunk in the middle of the side walk, they are not just doing their thing. They are injecting themselves into your life and into everything you do. Why should people who contribute to society not be able to use the subway or a bus because some cracked out dude shot himself. I've seen a woman piss on the wall of the building of a nice resturaunt during broad daylight.
Round them up and put them to work cleaning the city or something. If they don't want to do that either arrest them or send them packing.
I feel like if I shit on a city bus I would go to jail, but because someone is homeless it becomes kosher.
There's nothing wrong with you if you aren't in love with New York City. It isn't for everybody; you don't have to like it. I lived there for four years during school and by the time graduation rolled around I just couldn't stand it anymore. The biggest reason is that I like being able to have peace, solitude and relaxation once in a while, and you can't get it when you're sharing a concrete island with 1.2 million other people.
Also, I'd rather not live like a rat in a shoebox.
This article, while tongue in cheek, pretty much seals the deal for me:
http://www.theonion.com/articles/84-million-new-yorkers-suddenly-realiz…
From the onion article:
""This is no place to raise a kid, that's for sure," said 32-year-old Brandon Rushing, a lifelong New Yorker. "I grew up here and I turned into a giant asshole. Why would I want that for my son?"
LOL.
Yes, NYC is disgusting. But it toughens you up and you can live anywhere after that.
That being said, I had a major mouse problem over the Fall. I literally caught 7 of those MFers in one day.
The only thing that worked? Glue traps. Inhumane? Yes. Gross? Yes. But NYC mice are not your ordinary mice. They are clever and eat the food right out of a snap trap and go along their merry way and laugh at you. It sounds terrible, but the most humane thing to do is drown them afterwards. I used a garbage can full of water. It is disgusting but you will eventually get rid of them. For those people who say it is cruel: mice (or in this case, most likely baby rats) spread disease.
So. Glue traps along the wall. Fill every hole and crevice with an expandable spray foam/steel wool combo. I mean EVERY HOLE that is bigger than your pinky nail. Those f-ers can flatten their rib cage and squeeze thru the smallest spots. The main places they were getting in for me were 1) behind the fridge (nice and warm and my dumb landlord left a frigging HOLE there) and 2) the radiators. You can ask your super to do this because technically the landlord is supposed to keep the place vermin free and you can stop paying rent if they don't.
And almost every place in NYC has them, regardless of how much you pay. A friend pays 4K and they had them. Maybe some of the newer buildings don't (yet). But they will. Ohhh... they will. Just think. All those fancy old pre-war buildings are full of them, and I guarantee they pay more than you. There is some justice in the world...
This post really does remind me of Nathan Lane's psychotic obsession with killing 'the mouse' in the movie Mouse Hunt........
Are west coast cities THAT much nicer???
Sounds like you're living on Canal Street! lol! Perhaps you didn't pick the right neighborhood moving here first time from the outside.
Sorry my brother - you need to grow some thicker skin if you can't take the big apple. This place is fast paced up in your face and raw. I've worked in Corp Fin around the globe and you're not going to find a place in the middle of it all (and as diverse, authentic or electric) as New York.
Hong Kong -
Though similarly can be just as dirty (if not dirtier) than NYC in some areas, HK does a pretty good job in terms of having 'quiet areas' to go to, and it's got a ton of beaches and other stuff for the outdoorsy type.
Im born and raised in ny and while Im not fascinated by this city, I could never see myself moving.
Interning here this summer, I can relate to this thread. Chi FTW
People who think NYC is great are generally fresh faced college students who have never lived in a city before. As far as cities go, the quality of life in Manhattan is terrible. Almost no quiet neighborhoods and an utter lack of green spaces. I want the city I live in to be interesting, yet there are only maybe 3-4 neighborhoods in NYC I actually want to walk around.
AWM-in light of the riots, you sure London is THAT much better than NYC. I mean the tube is great, but NYC isnt that bad.
Grew up just outside NYC, to me it really lacks character compared to London. When I judge a city I generally consider what it would be like to live there, and in all honesty I struggle to find a neighborhood in NYC I actually want to live in. In London, I am spoiled with a shit ton of beautiful quiet neighborhoods that don't have highways running through them.
However, I fully admit London is shit if you are not earning good money. Its a very expensive city, and a city that has been plagued with forced mixed housing in many neighborhoods meaning many normal people are victims of crime. The British are too PC to voice discontent over this issue, but I am happy to do so. Luckily I can afford to live in an area of London that does not have this problem, but the riots obviously indicate London (or perhaps the whole of the UK) has some major problems it needs to address.
I definitely think NYC is one of the best cities to begin your business career if you take enough time to meet people and take advantage of all that's around you -- but in terms of quality of life, I'd definitely say it's subpar if your income is not very high
I've lived in Boston, Philly, and NYC. Actually lived in the cities themselves (not the burbs).
Philly is by far the worst. Most homeless, most crime, worst public transport, worst job market.
NYC was the most expensive and had the best job market. Homeless were nothing after Philly.
Boston was the 'nicest' but also the smallest, although if you include Cambridge and Brookline/Allston, with their bars/restaurants/jobs, it's considerably bigger and more of an appropriate comparison to NYC than without them (less skyscraper-y though).
Boston's also expensive as shit. Far closer to NYC than Philly in cost. The subway/T works better than Philly (it's just further reaching) but it's slow, breaks down, and completely underfunded. Way worse than NYC.
Cities, in general, suck if you're looking for a quiet, lower cost, safer lifestyle. If that's what you want, snag a F500 finance job at Merck in suburban NJ.
Having lived in DC, Tokyo, and NYC, I can say without a doubt that DC was the best place to live in terms of quality of life. Now that Im in NYC though, Im really getting accustomed to everything and dont see myself moving anywhere else for at least another 5 years.
and Boston is crap BTW. Much rather live in New York.
don't you just love the subways in the summer? when it's 90 degrees outside, it's 100 in every Manhattan subway station. it smells like hot p*ss and garbage. there's no ventilation and it's full of rats. People wipe their sweat with their hands and then hold on to the pole inside the train. FUN! At times i find myself breathing into my shirt or napkin that i prepare before leaving the office because it's that disgusting. as a native new yorker, the filth of the city shouldn't surprise me but it does.
anyways, it's all tourist fault.
NYC is the best city in America, and I'm from Boston
blasiose's last job was the Revlon hair model, who knew?
XD
I find it so funny that the people who claim to love New York so much aren't the natives, but people from elsewhere who move there and become transplants.
It's like on a game show and you're thinking, "Why are those people so happy they won a trip to New York?"
if you dont like NYC, get the fuck out. Less competition for jobs, more bitches to bang, and more hipsters to sip sizzurp with.
I think you are the reason people hate NYC.
tell you what. I just moved to a small city from nyc, make good money, 1000-sf apartment, huge walk-in closet, new bmw.
I feel MISERABLE. I really miss my friends in nyc, and my little apartment in west village.
I will take a studio in manhattan ANYTIME. God, give me a break.
How about you losers just get out of the city rather than bitch on here like a bunch of old ladies in a knitting circle? Yeah NYC is dirty and the subway gets hot and crowded, but anywhere in the city is just a subway ride away, there's always something to do, and the girls are pretty (at least compared to everywhere I've lived). For a young and single guy that's fresh out of college, NYC is awesome. Now I have never lived in any of the other big cities like Chicago, San Fransisco, etc so I can't compare them to NYC, but I'd much rather be in NYC than the fucking suburbs somewhere. At least until I have kids.
What's a knitting circle? Does the last man have to eat the cracker?
Wow you guys are missing out.
I am telling you Dallas or Austin is the place to be. In Dallas its like 7 out of every 10 girls is hot and I haven't even dated a white american girl since I was 17 so that is saying something if I think those white girls are hot.
The cost of living is freaking ridiculous. We are THE PLACE to be for Oil and Energy (Houston as well) and those jobs pay extremely well.
Dallas has the most F500 Headquarted companies in the US. We are like the 4th or 5th largest Hedge Fund/PE firm city in the US. So those jobs pay bank.
I recently was looking at a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath 1600 square foot condo in a great area of town where everyone wants to live and the asking price? 199k! I bet I can get it for less than that.
Your standard of living here is ridiculous. I know a girl who get a decent condo in a great area of town for 70k, here monthly payment is about 350 bucks.
Dallas doesnt have water except for the man made lakes and we are far from a lot of places but decently close to the Caribbean.
Austin is ridiculous and growing like crazy. The downtown area is snazzy and it has a college town feel. The city has very little crime, the colorado river flowing through downtown and multiple lakes plus the hill country. Austin is making itself out to be a mini silicon valley plus mini hollywood.
It has tons of tech firms and a growing PE/Hedge Fund community.
You guys are missing out......
Not to mention the tons of hot girls and in 2010 Austin and Dallas were picked as #1 and #2 most sexually active cities in the US.
boooyah
It really is too bad that everyone reads Liar's Poker and then just takes a dump on Dallas. I love it here.
LOL at everyone bitching about how NYC is so disgusting. Go live in New Delhi, India for a month and wake up to the world.
I've lived in Delhi. It's India so yeah you get all that, but it's not like it's all that much dirtier than New York. It's funny that you say that, because New York feels like India to me. Actually, to me, it feels a lot more like an Indian city than it feels like a normal American city.
Plus the Delhi Metro is like infinitely cleaner than the MTA.
Yeah, New York is a different animal. It is pretty fucking gross. Like, really gross.
I was a little turned off when I moved here, but every day I spend in New York I like it more. I know it's cliche but New York is just full of vibrant, interesting people, and I think that a lot of bankers don't get exposed to that because they spend all their free time in Wall Street bars drinking w/ other bankers.
Here's my advice if you're in New York:
Don't worry about living close to work. You're going to take black cars home every night, and even if you live pretty far away, it's still not going to take long to get to/from work on the subway. Believe me. Chose a nice, quiet neighborhood w/ good bars. Make sure you have a good neighborhood bar. This is key.
Get roommates. Believe me, you will get a lot more bang for your buck. Even just 1 roommate if you want. 2 bedrooms are way nicer than 1 bedrooms and studios.
MAKE FRIENDS WITH NON BANKERS. Be sure to stay in touch with friends from school and your hometown that are not in finance. Believe me, this is very important because they have a lot more time off than you do, and they will know all the cool hole in the wall spots that you don't have the time to find. It's a life hack. It keeps you sane, and honestly, you will spend plenty of time drinking with bankers don't worry. They're pretty much all alcoholics, even the little Asian girls from Harvard. It's really easy to turn in to sort of the "prototypical broey banker," and putting off that vibe is going to turn a lot of people off to you. Also IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET YOUR PENIS TOUCHED IF YOU GO OUT WITH A BIG GROUP OF MALE BANKERS. It's super easy to get laid in NYC if you go out with non bankers. Post financial crisis, a group of 3 or more bankers are going to have trouble closing. Period.
Meet people in the entertainment/restaurant industry. New York is all about creating a little village for yourself in the city. You want to have bars that know your drink and restaurants that know your name. It just makes everything a hell of a lot more fun. Nothing drops panties faster than being the guy in the back room blowing lines w/ a classy bar's owner. You accomplish this by going out, tipping well, and making conversation. Also I suggest going out alone from time to time, especially in your neighborhood. I know it's a bit intimidating at first, but shit, if you get off work before midnight, stop by your neighborhood bar, grab a beer, and talk to the bartender. I did this just b/c I'm an alcoholic, but I've made a lot of valuable friends as a result.
Don't be judgemental. Bankers can be very judgemental, and a lot of them are sort of goody-goody nerdy types. This doesn't work very well in NYC. Do drugs. Especially cocaine. Believe me. You know how America runs on Dunkin? NYC runs on blow.
Obviously make sure you do good work. Don't have too much fun.
So to enjoy NYC you have to be an alcoholic coke head pick up artist? That is why I hate NYC, people think they are the shit when in reality they are a walking cliche. Girls who are attracted to the guy doing coke with the bar owner are not girls worth talking to in my opinion, and the guys who think its cool to do coke with the bar owner usually give me douche chills when they open their mouth.
Perhaps I am being a little judgmental, but in London no one seems to care about any of this. The people just seem to be so much more real, and in British terms "they just get on with it".
To each their own I guess. You can have your life and I'll keep mine, you know? No problem. I just see a lot of kids toss themselves into the meat grinder and then bitch about NYC when, at the end of the day, they're just doing it wrong. I'm not like the fucking messiah or something that everyone needs to listen to, but as a banker in NYC who enjoys it, I think it's pretty fair to state my opinion. If people don't want to listen to me and want to do things their own way, that's fine. Whatever floats your boat. I'm just sort of trying to lay out what has worked for me.
And yeah, in a way your attitude is sort of the one I'm talking about. It doesn't work in NYC. You don't get to shit on people's lifestyle choices like that and expect them to respect you. It's a really good way to banish yourself from some of the more fun scenes in New York.
I was the treasurer for a year for my fraternity (a popular one) in college and I've done ALL of that shit. 2, 3, sometimes 4-5 nights a week all while working hard and playing harder in the engineering school. Sororistitutes, drama, hilarious ass stories during sunday brunch, cleaning up condoms on my fraternity couches, even skipping a midterm accidentally because i was so fucking hung over one day. I've done it all.
And trust me, I'm in the real world now, got a real world job (a nice paying one at that) in NYC and let me tell you: I'm not the immature college frat boy I used to be. Sure, I'm s till an immature brat and sometimes write 8 year old shit on this website but for the most part, I'm not interested in a repeat of my college fraternity.
I think back: Would I have lost anything had I not joined a fraternity with wild parties? DEFINITELY NO. Doing lines of coke with the bar owner and fucking the girls who run towards guys who do is SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY OVERRATED.
Some of us just want to start living like a responsible fucking adult. We each have our own ways of enjoying our youth.
And no, you dont need coke or drugs to enjoy NYC. The ones who really succeed and become the top 1% of this nation's income bracket who did not get lucky or win the lottery or inherit a hedge fund, are the ones who grind it out 24/7, sacrifice a friday night party to crank out a new business idea or learn a new skill, and really exempifly the classy personality of the group of people they aspire to be - not emulating low life coke addicts living above 156th. The ones who end up really making it are all nerds to some degree - some may be better looking or more athletic or have better game with girls but for thhe most part, they're all goody-goody type nerds. Look at the nerdy founders of Google, Facebook, Apple, Intel, even Goldman Sachs where I met Alex Blankfein (son of Lloyd) and let me tell you he does not in any way give off the whole "FUCK YEA LET'S SNORT THAT LINE OFF THAT BRAZILIAN HOOKER, MONKEYS!!" vibe even if he does do such things.
Real classiness goes a long way.
I think that is the thing, lets be realistic here, most guys who go into high finance (and I am not talking about some inter-dealer broker here) are the nerdy types who live relatively sterile and subdued lives. Sure they get pissed on the weekends, but to say that doing coke with bar owners and then banging the chicks who want to scrounge a line from you is the lifestyle of most successful professionals is nothing more than a frat boy fantasy. Do some people live that lifestyle, sure, but if that is truly what it takes to enjoy NYC then that is pretty sad in my opinion.
I don't want to be Lloyd Blankfein. Maybe that's what our differences are stemming from? I kind of just like to do my job well and have fun. The banking hierarchy is a pyramid and very few people who enter as analysts make it anywhere close to the top. Quite frankly you can have the C level if you want it, I'm quite happy having fun in my 20's and peaking at MD.
The buy side is even more of a pyramid.
Posts like this remind me all the more why I love this website so damn much.
This x1000. Also make friends with a couple of hipsters, as annoying as they may seem, they always know how to have fun on a budget.
then go to mumbai....... the homeless have homes on the train's rails and they have watchouts to wake them up when a train is coming... but if u got bank it dont matte get a car and driver
Haha yeah it's funny that Delhi has the beautiful new Metro while Bombay got stuck with the piece of shit train. Maybe they can't dig tunnels b/c the water comes up too high? Idk.
Well I am thinking between LA, NYC, SF, HK, so not diff any of those cities.... but mice really sucks 7 in 1 day damn i have never seen one.
mumbai is the nyc of india (so shit) (most Opps) DC and Delhi are the capitals so they need to make it pretty for foreign reps :D. DC is amazing!
OK, I think I'm not making myself understood very well. My main point is to do what makes you happy. I guess I was hyperbolic in my comment. I have plenty of friend/coworkers who have very different lives than I do and they are happy as well.
I like how I'm living. For example, in the half hour that passed since my last comment, I popped downstairs for a pack of cigarettes, and the guy who owns the oyster bar I live above saw me, stopped me in the street, bought me a beer and introduced me to some bargoers. No joke. I like that about NYC. I think different people like different things, and I'm not trying to say drinking and drugs are the only way to enjoy New York. This is just how I do it. In New York you have to build your niche or you'll be forgotten is I guess what I'm trying to say.
Also, for people throwing around frat boy. I'm not a fucking frat boy. At least in my bank about 30-40% of the analysts are frat boys. They all hang out with each other at banker bars. That's fine. It's just not what I do and I don't think it makes people like NYC. There's no value added for those guys to be in NYC. They might as well be in Houston or Chicago and save money and drink in the banker bars there with the frat boy bankers out there. In fact I think the nerdy types like NYC more than the frat boys because they aren't sheep. They find a place for themselves other than the bank. That's what you have to do.
WOOT!! why wouldnt you want a C level position anyways? JW i would love to take though :)
It's not that I wouldn't want it or whatever, c level guys tend to be pretty impressive. I would obviously take a position like that if it were offered to me. It's just that the world is a big place. Most actual analysts you meet in banking aren't beating off to Blanky's resume and aren't even close to thinking about C level positions. If you come in to an analyst program with the attitude of "I want to be the CEO of the bank" it's going to be a long and difficult path, and when you get there you're going to look back and wish you had done things differently. I'd be shocked if you could find a single CEO on Wall Street who would say they planned on becoming CEO when they started at the bank. That just doesn't happen you know?
If you want to be successful in banking, you don't do it by being the one who wants it the most, you do it by reading between the lines. Find senior bankers to watch out for you, maintain good professional relationships with as many people as possible, do good work, and don't fuck up at any of the open bar events. It's pretty simple.
If you're talking to an MD as an analyst and you tell him you want his boss's job, he'll probably laugh in your face.
Come to Houston bro. We make more money than you (no state or city income taxes) and our cost of living is half of yours. You can literally pay $1000 a month in rent and live like a baller.
Also, Dallas/Austin are cool towns but there is very little banking. Houston is the place to be for oil & gas, not Dallas. Don't kid yourself. If you want to do middle market banking yeah sure go to Dallas (nothing wrong with that) but if you really want a broad range of oil & gas related finance careers, H-town is where it's at.
Austin is also a cool town but everyone who lives in Austin knows that once you graduate from UT you come to Houston to get a real job and play with the big boys.
My sister studies in NY.. She hates it. Even if she lives in a college residental home and pays over f****** 1600$, this home is dirty as hell.
She told me that she sees tons of rats and cockroaches every day.
Most students who are so fascinated from NYC as tourists and finally study there, regret their decision. They want to go back to Europe.
I have ever been to NY. It was nice as tourist. But I would never like to live there, because there are always better alternatives.
If you guys have money and time, visit me to Duesseldorf, Germany. It is really small like Milan, but this city has the quality.
Houston is a fvcking dump, you can have it.
Htown is the shit. fasting growing city and the fasting growing economy. enough said. we have so many fucking east and west coasters down here its ridiculous. Houston is the finance capital of the south, and the south isn't that bad if you live in a major metro like Houston.
Houston is great for low CoL and good paying jobs, but my gosh if it were any humid I think you would be swimming in the air.
Anyone who throws out the "that's the stereotypical New Yorker" or "that's the reason why New York sucks, cuz of people like you!" is an idiot. That's the beauty of NY, that there is NO stereotypical citizen here. You stay in one area, go to all the same types of hangouts, and yes, you'll get the same types of people. But it doesn't matter what your scene is, you'll find it here?
Want hipster? Head to Williamsburg. Want stuck up rich folk? Got you on the Upper East Side. Want a stroller community? Cobble Hill and Park Slope have you covered. Hip, trendy, artsy folk? West Village.
The point of NY is to have a diversified community that anyone can learn to love. I agree, it's not a place for everyone to live, but come down for a weekend and I guarantee I can make you feel at home somewhere. Try saying the same for Boston...ha.
Just don't live in Manhattan. Brooklyn is so much nicer. Esp DUMBO, Heights and Williamsburg
I grew up in New York City (actually within the 5 boroughs, unlike every person in the world who says they are from NYC but is really from strong island or westchester/new jersey. Not to pick on Wonderwoman above, but I'd be willing to bet today's paycheck that by "native new yorker" he/she means westchester), and totally agree its not for everybody. Its stressful as hell, and definitely smells like shit. But it is what it is. Its the capital of the world. You can literally do anything in this city. Oh you want malaysian/BBQ fusion? Train ride away. You feel like looking at picasso's early work instead of the cubist crap that you hate? Go to the met. You want to watch 6 professional sports teams, AND the Mets? Go to stub hub and hit it up (stole that from a storage company's sign). Everything is here.
Anyone who says "the neighborhoods are crap" sounds like a tourist asking why they only have applebees and TGI fridays in NYC. That isn't an opinion, thats just ignorance. Anyone who hasn't ever stepped foot into park slope or brooklyn heights or the older parts of tribeca and west village have no clue what NYC is about. Calling "Midtown" new york city is just plain stupid. Midtown is the worst place in the entire world. Thats why no actual new yorker does anything there except go into their office. And maybe is it possible that because most people here are 23 year olds who have no connection to the city they might be skewed on the type of city it is? Shit, if all I saw was murray hill, I would hate this town too. Once you actually live somewhere and explore it you find the cool places. Thats what happens when you live somewhere. I lived in London for a year, and found the places I love early because I was willing to explore. That means walking around a ton and getting lost, and eventually finding the awesome random places that make a city home. I suggest you do the same.
So this weekend, instead of gettin bombed at Mercury Bar, get a drink at Maialino, walk around gramercy, go to sleep, then get up and walk on Greenwich st. below canal and see a cool part of NYC. That walk is one of hundreds of cool parts of NYC. Just breathe in the old warehouse architecture, and see how actual new yorkers live. Or just hang out on the 23rd floor of some shitty murray hill apartment building. Your choice.
Until you do that, quit your bitching and buy some peanut butter. Mice love that shit.
I actually totally agree, anything above 23rd street is just soulless in my opinion. Seriously, half of Manhattan looks the same. You can walk for 40 blocks and nothing changes. Granted, some areas of Manhattan do have a ton of character, SoHo, Tribeca, West Village, etc. I will give you that, but I find that when I am in Central London I actually want to go explore the different neighborhoods because they are all interesting, when I am in NYC I just don't have that same sense of curiosity or interest in my surroundings. And thank god someone else hates Murray Hill, I thought I was the only one. Absolutely no redeeming factors about that place, zero.
Except for the Upper East Side (nice areas like Carnegie Hill and Lenox Hill).
How is New York the capital of the world?
Totally agree awm55 unless you're actually a true New Yorker or have lived here for 10yrs + you have 0 right to complain about this city and all the bountiful things it has to offer.
Agree 100% with this. I've lived here my entire life and wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world.
furiousgeorge - best post in this thread! Well spoken. I've found that 95% of people who hate NY have yet to even experience it. It is their lack of experience that either makes them envious or just plain ignorant.
I love how someone here said that "they only have chain stores and restaurants in NYC". Are you f**king kidding me?! You have NO idea what lies in the crevices of the East Village, West Village, Tribeca, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Fort Greene, I could go on and on all day long.
Vancouver > all cities.
I agree. I fucking love Vancouver - I would love to move my job there.
u guys should move to LA/OC/SD
yes everyone complains about the traffic here in LA but if you live and work on the west side it's not that bad since everywhere you'd want to go (eat, shop, party, etc) is in the area anyway
New York is a marvel of civil engineering...but it is a shame that such infrastructure is necessary, and often inadequate.
The subway is probably the best in the US, but still inconvenient when you think about it: it might take 40 minutes to get from Tribeca to the UES (4-5 miles). It just doesn't compare to driving. Of course, driving is nearly as slow and cost prohibitive in NYC. You only hear about how easy the commute is in NYC because most bankers live blocks from their offices. And the above comments about the subway being hot in the summer are dead on. I am surprised that (more) people don't get heat stroke down there from humidity and 100+ degree heat.
The CoL is retarded. RE prices never really burst like they did in the rest of the country (don't mention Stuy Town). Everything else is priced at a premium too. Bankers are doubly screwed, since we can't exactly go all the way to Queens or Jersey to shop at a big box store.
If you actually want to stay in NYC long term, you are going to need to figure in the cost of at least 4 years of private school (50k/year) for your kid...not that I would particularly want my kid to grow up in the city.
SF, LA, Boston, Chicago, Miami, and even Houston are all expensive relative to middle America. But they are nothing compared to NYC. You can get a better quality of life for far less cash. Yea, you might only have 1 Ethiopian restaurant in Houston, and you might not have a museum as famous as the Met. But what does that matter when you are working 100+ hours per week?
For me, I care about: weather, nightlife (to a limited extent, and CoL. New York falls short on all three metrics. I am just holding out for a megafund / BB to open a Santa Barbara office.
What you're describing is really a product of living in any very large, congested city. Compare NYC to Lagos, Seoul, Cairo, Calcutta, or Mumbai. You want to talk about traffic jams?! NYC does not even come close!
My point is, it's very difficult to compare NY to these other American cities when NY is far more populous, and more importantly, far more densely populated. And BTW, the subways are air conditioned. Sucks to wait on the platform in a suit in 100 degree weather, but once you're on the train, it's nothing.
Haha u remind me of myself a year back when all i wanted to get out of NY. I'm a native btw. If you hate it that much, get a new job & move or transfer positions.
btw ANT you're a sick fuck for sayin casey anthony is hot. the only time she'll be hot is when her ass is burnin in hell....
So, let's see.
Cons of NYC: - Dirty - Expensive - Hot subways
Pros of NYC: - Infrastructure/transportation - Things to do (restaurants, parks, bars, etc.) - Culture and diversity - Financial capital of America (and arguably the world) - Gorgeous women (if that appeals to you) - Bars are open until 4 AM - History/sights - Best dealflow for i-banking
NYC isn't that bad of a place to live, assuming you follow similar criteria. Obviously it can get frustrating when waiting for the L train in 100+ degree heat. But it's definitely better than being stuck in the Yukon Territory or Helena, Montana.
There are tradeoffs between all cities (and suburbs). Just do your homework beforehand so you know what you're getting yourself into.
People always think NYC has the best dealflow, the best everything. As an analyst in NYC at a top BB and with many friends working elsewhere, its simply not true. What you want to do might not be the best in NYC. For example for Tech you go to palo alto or the west coast. Energy/Power you go to Houston. Industrials you go to Chicago. New york is so great that Goldamn put its TMT group out there right? And MS puts its healthcare there too right? Give me a break and stop jerking it to WSO. Ive met so many prospective monkeys so are so focused on NYC its stupid.
Sure I love New York sometimes. The variety is awesome, there are smoking hot girls. But for every smoking hot girl I see I see 10 crackwhores. 5 screaming/crazy hobos. 5000 dirty ass lower class people who dont shower and are loud as shit.
The subway is great! Except it takes fucking forever. And it always randomly stops. And its hot as shit. And it smells like shit. Ive never had acne in my life and Im starting to get some from dirty NYC.
3G is slow as balls out here.
There are tons of other things but Im far too lazy to type them out and Im going to enjoy my weekend. Is NY great? Sometimes. is it the best place to start out if you dont know what group you want to be in/what to do? Yes. Is it the end all be all? Hell no.
I love NYC, but lately have been questioning it.
The number of homeless and inability or refusal of the city to deal with them has really gotten out of hand. To the point that I'm concerned about safety.
Also gotta say that paying >$3k for an apartment in a nice neighborhood and constantly walking by the projects next door where the trash is overflowing with HDTV and xbox packing and people are just sitting around all day doesn't make me very happy either, but I feel like in the entitlement states of america you're going to have deal with that everywhere.
All in all you have to realize some things are just outside your control, focus on what's important to you and let the rest go.
ok well I love LA, but I also like the rush of NYC and the CoL in Chii-town. ugh so many choices..
The only people who hate NYC are those that believe that NYC is the Island of Manhattan. They're usually either transplants from other states, Staten Island, or non NYC NY'ers.
Take it from someone who grew up in Brooklyn. The City (Manhattan) is detached from the rest of NYC.That wasn't the case but in the last 15 years it's changed a lot. It changed for the better in terms of cleanliness, wealth, housing, high wage employment, etc. but its lost that NYC edge.
If you want a taste of the real NYC, Manhattan isn't it anymore.
If you guys ever get a chance, Hong Kong is definitely a place that you want to experience. Very diverse, not just asians, but a mix of people from all over the world. You might say that's in every city, but it's even more evident in Hong Kong, in my opinion.
The streets are very clean, and the A/C on full blast during the summer even in the subway stations, although it could get very cold in the winter since there is no central heat. If you want to go out, LKF and WanChai is the place. It's packed with people drinking and walking around. The people are nice and everything there is cheap except rent. Doesn't really matter if you can't speak the language. My buddy lives there all his life, and all he does is point.
This.
I will say streets aren't 'very clean' - as I mentioned earlier, there are some parts of the city that can be even dirtier than nyc, but it is otherwise cleaner overall (though neither city's all that clean...). But HK's public transit system is amazing (you can get anywhere and almost anything fast food and snack wise via the transit 'Octopus' card). And their subway stations and trains are immaculate - I have yet to witness a crazy person or a urine-soaked homeless terrorizing citizens in subways, or green-slime covering station walls whenever I visit, as I have seen in new york. The drawback is that they don't run 24/7, though the taxis and buses are cheap and plentiful in wee hours so that covers that.
In terms of 'everything is cheap', HK is more 'affordable' to the lower class than say NYC, in that you can get a decent meal for a decent price (e.g., you can probably feed yourself lunch on $16-20 HKD... ~$3 USD, which can barely buy you a pizza slice in New York), but it's still a place of great wealth disparity. And rent as you mentioned is very high - ridiculous even. If you don't have the cash, you could end up here: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/28/cage.homes/index.html
The way I see it... HK is like an Asian version of New York, with crap-ton more malls, less broadway musicals, cleaner transportation, no baseball teams more soccer, and tropical weather.
love it.
I would love hong kong banking too, but I cant speak mandarin or chinese
It's a grass is greener thing. I'm on the west coast in a city with very good cost of living, very low crime, and things are pretty orderly. Tradeoff: job market flat out sucks here, not much nightlife, west coast finance hours (meaning waking up at 4:30 AM), and plenty of pretentious hipster types
I wouldn't want to settle down in NYC, but I'd like to live there for a bit, especially while I'm young. Long run I'll probably end up in the South...went to school down there and love it.
^^^ LA or SF?? Or some other city I wouldnt think that the nightife in LA would suck or SF for that matter. Just wondering. Correct me if I am wrong.
Not in California, I'm in the Northwest...PM me if you want more details
like i said i would love HK but I can speak any of the native languages there
You can live in HK just fine w/o cantonese/mandarin, but specifically for finance/consulting type roles, language has become a huge barrier (particularly at junior levels), sadly...
Unless of course you're in your mid 30s-40s, already established connections and experience in banking/PE/etc. and your exp/network is worth more than language. Even then I still see these high-level non-Asians having 'mandarin' skills - puts me to shame.
You really don't need to be able to speak cantonese. It's very diverse and you'll do fine with English and a lot of hand motions.
For anyone who complains about the city being loud or not quiet then don't live in the fucking village or LES. Live on the ues or uws. Same for complaining about smells, I have a 2 bed 2.5 bath duplex with a Viking sub zero kitchen a block from Columbus circle and it's 3500 a month. Fuck a doorman. But yeah I def agree Texas is where it's at
The village is much quieter than the UES or UWS. The grid system up there makes it such that you are no more than a 2 min walk from a 4-6 lane highway.
Depends on which part of the Village we're talking about. The EV is definitely louder than both the UES and the UWS. The WV is, for the most part, quieter. But in any of them, there are loud streets and there are quiet streets.
You want quiet? Go to Brooklyn! Peaceful and serene...
moving back into nyc for my FT job and this time the firm isnt paying for the apt... fucking wonderful.
Funny finds though:
Picking out an apartment in June is WAYYYYYY better than finding one now, in August, because all the students/new hires/EVERYONE is sacking this housing market dry.
I also closely monitored the prices per apartment and back in June you could have gotten a nice 1850 per month Alcove Studio in Hell's Kitchen, and now that option DOES NOT EXIST IN ANY WAY OR FORM!
In August, shitty broker fee high season, you WILL NOT find what you want unless your paying out the ass and all those room/shared on craigslist are the most unappealing things I have ever seen in my life.
Nyc has to do something about the finance pay grades.... how those Big4 accountants move into nyc with bases of 55k, I HAVE NO EFFING CLUE... I feel like as long as your under the 100k base, your fucked regardless.
done with my vent.
Oh by the way, Houston is definitely a pretty good spot to be, SHIT IS DIRT CHEAP HERE!!!! food is pretty good, the people are very laid back compared to nyc, but it would be an awesome save money move.
Roomates and living check to check. That's how they get by on 55k.
NYC is the greatest city in the world. So, shut up.
P.S: NYCbandar - Damn! lol you're living a pretty badass life, even by IBD standards. :D
NYC is the only global city in America. Yes if you hang out with a bunch of bankers all day and go get drunk every night in crappy irish pubs in midtown then it will suck. Thats like saying you went to Tokyo and it sucks because they have a McDonalds which you hung out at the entire time. Not liking New York is a reflection of you, not the city. If you cant find a good time here then you are hopeless and you should leave...but please dont blame it on anybody but yourself.
I really disagree, NYC does not provide an opportunity to live in the heart of the city in a neighborhood that provides a decent quality of life. I grew up outside NYC and now live in London, the best neighborhoods in London are in the heart of the city but also provide a great quality of life. Most of them are quiet, clean, and very close to loads of green spaces. The only decent neighborhoods that are close to a park are the UES and UWS, both of which are plagued by the stupid grid system making it such that you are no more than a 2 min walk from a major road.
Downtown is a great place to go out, but its cramped and not close to any parks.
I live in west village which I consider to to be the "heart of the city"...I am not quite sure what you mean by that phrase. I have an 8 minute subway or a 4 minute cab to and from work everyday. If you really need green spaces go to the park...but this is a city not a nature preserve.
I saw some guy smoke crack on the 6 train last night (while it was moving). This was in midtown too. My biggest complaint about NYC (right now) is the lack of A/C, or any kind of temperature control, in the subway stations, especially Grand Central.
Seriously? wtf?
I've seen some people tripping in the street, but have never seen anyone openly do drugs when I lived there. I feel like I missed out on some crazy moments.
I think the worst I've seen was a guy urinating inside a phone booth. And the usual "possessed by religion" folks in subways.
There's Washington Square Park, Madison Square Park, or Tompkins Square Park downtown.
Again, you have to think of NYC as more than just Manhattan. I know that's a difficult concept for most people (even for locals sometimes), as everyone associates 'The City' with Manhattan, but it's important. There's five boroughs here, and plenty for everyone. Okay, so maybe Park Slope or Astoria are not in the center of the city, as you said, but they are not exactly far from Midtown, either.
NYC is unique in the sense that it's built around Manhattan, which is this long, slender, very densely populated island. Many people find living in Manhattan unbearable because of the density. So the alternative is the suburbs (LI, Westchester, NJ), or the outer boroughs.
The green spaces at those parks are the size of private gardens in London and the neighborhoods around those parks are busy as hell. I am really splitting hairs now, but unless you have lived in a city that provides everything in a single neighborhood its hard to understand.
I hear what you're saying, London's green spaces are vast compared to NY's, and it's best neighborhoods have quiet, tree-lined streets that make you feel at home. It's hard to compare the two, because apart from The City, things are much more calm and serene in Central London.
To be honest, I'd rather live in London, and would move in a heartbeat if I was offered a job there (spent 3 months there two years ago and loved it!) It's definitely a more livable city than most, especially for such a highly populated place. Just supporting the livability of NY in the process.
I live in Tribeca and I love it.
Tribeca is great, I agree. But its not exactly green.
^^ costs too much money
what I always wonder is how can people with a "normal" income like teachers, nurses, assistants afford to live in such an expensive city like London? Are they all living in shitty apartments or what?
They don't live in central or they live in subsidized housing for key workers.
I don't think anyone mentioned how much the state/city of NY, NYC rapes you on your taxes. I had to do an NYC return for a client once and it was quite a headache. If i remember, the guy was paying half his salary away. That's practically theft and for what? it's apparent from the above posts that the city isn't doing enough with it
I don't think anyone mentioned how much the state/city of NY, NYC rapes you on your taxes. I had to do an NYC return for a client once and it was quite a headache. If i remember, the guy was paying half his salary away. That's practically theft and for what? it's apparent from the above posts that the city isn't doing enough with it
I don't think anyone mentioned how much the state/city of NY, NYC rapes you on your taxes. I had to do an NYC return for a client once and it was quite a headache. If i remember, the guy was paying half his salary away. That's practically theft and for what? it's apparent from the above posts that the city isn't doing enough with it
I don't think anyone mentioned how much the state/city of NY, NYC rapes you on your taxes. I had to do an NYC return for a client once and it was quite a headache. If i remember, the guy was paying half his salary away. That's practically theft and for what? it's apparent from the above posts that the city isn't doing enough with it
sorry, thats not dog piss you're smelling
Yes, i just moved out of NYC after 4 years. Absolutely loved the place, despite its griminess. Recently moved to a european city for work. Having the time of my life, and just signed a lease in the city centre 3 minutes from work for a 4 floor, two bedroom apartment at 1100 euro a month. happy days!
I love NYC but if I think about the analyst there are getting the worst deal of them all. I know an analyst in Mumbai that gets paid as much as he would in NYC (think BB IBD branch). I know there is a lot of trash in mumbai and india (more slums) but there are also really rich areas which are sometimes even better. Also he has a Merc, driver (cheap as shit) nice apartment (full AC) and lives a nice fancy lifestyle there I mean bankers earn 10X then the average starting salary for most industries. (unless you are a really good actor or something).
I still feel like starting in NYC is better because of the network, but in the long run I think I would want to go to L.A., mumbai, SF. Honestly though I could change my mind next week lol and Technoviking thats good rent! Congratz
Chicago is by far the best bang for your buck...
Wow, I didn't realize NYC was THAT bad. You should start applying for jobs in San Francisco. I just moved here from San Diego, and it's unbelievable. Solid financial district, amazing nightlife, and it's relatively clean for such a big city.
The girls are really hot here too. I live in the Marina District where everyone is in there 20's, so it's been a nice transition out of college.
NYC is a mixed bag, some will love it and some will hate it. For most it's just a stopping-off point for a few years. The best parts of the city are the food, the diversity, the fact that it doesn't close down early (DC Metro shuts down by midnight on weekdays and union stations shops and restaurants close by 9), the fact it is really safe, it is the finance capital of the world and it is like nowhere else on earth. The downsides are mainly the cost, the fact that it is tough to raise a family in Manhattan unless you are well into the 7 figure club, the noise (that's true in most cities though), the crowding and the lack of open space. There are nice places in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx (Riverdale) which are a bit more suburban/have lawns, but don't expect a 1/4 acre lot in NYC. Most of the criticisms are fairly generic and could apply anywhere. Here in Miami Beach we have homeless, a godawful mass transit system, traffic in South Beach is horrible, the tourists, but on the whole I love it and wouldn't give it up. Everywhere has its share of problems NYC is good, but not perfect.
lrn 2 subway.
Just because someone lives in a dick hole area of Manhattan doesn't mean that person needs to spend all their time there. Get up and go out. Worried about rent? Split a place with your homies, move to a cheaper location, get a studio and use your place as a place to hang your hat and pass out.
Yes, it's very difficult if not impossible for a young professional to live comfortably in Manhattan if your idea of comfort is a memory of living in your parents McMansion or a plush off campus apartment in a suburb of bumble fuck no wheres ville.
Manhattan is far from perfect, many young professionals moved out and went to Brooklyn, the rent is too damn high. All of this is true. You can find nice places to live if you spend the time searching.
Example:
Friend of mine moved to ues, think 90's, and pays $50 less than I do for a 1 bedroom. I happen to live 60+ (anonymity) blocks further south than he does and my crib is 2x his size. He's also living with his girlfriend (ouch). Basically, he's a shit head. If you hustle to find a spot like you hustled for that first internship or meet and greet with an MD then you can find a suitable place to live that fits your budget.
haha I see interesting^
I know most of you are wayyyy too young, but here goes anyways:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q_odSgDQeE
Warning: This is punk, not blink182 or the used bullshit...
^Before I clicked, I knew it was FEAR. Love that band.
NYC is pretty awesome for the music scene, especially legit hardcore and punk. (not tween or scene kid crap)
The South wins. And FYI, salaries and bonuses pay all the same rates. and I mean THE SAME.
South Pros: -Babes -1/3 Cost of living-Think Cheaper booze ($0.25 brews during happy hour) -Babes- who are not bitches and much more likely to be blonde/blue eyes -Same Pay - at least in banking -You can actually see the sky from your window -Your lungs aren't shitty from second ahnd smoke and filthy air - Many less homeless things -Better weather -Usually better hours -Babes -Better place to raise a family -Less diversity - $1 Thirsty Thursdays -Less Guidos
South Cons: -Fat People
Cost-benefit Analysis- Slight edge for the South
Haha I would rather live in San Fran than the south. Also not all of us are interested in WASP Babes lol. I am dating a brown haired and I feel like I like that better.
Dont get me wrong the south is decent, but the exit opps are pretty much only in the south with NYC you can go anywhere, and with SF if you are in TMT or with some VC you can go anywhere.
Just my opinion.
I've only been in Chicago for a couple of weeks, but I have to say, I love this city. I lived in New York and I love New York, but as far as places to live go...you can live like a fucking king in Chicago. I'm living in a place with 16 foot ceilings, hardwood floors, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, a garage for 2500 a month. The women are hot, the nightlife is good. It's just an easy place to live. You get half to 3/4s of what NYC has for less than half the cost.
No they are not. I have never seen so many ugly white chicks in my life and my standards are not high at all when it comes to blondes. I wanna go back to California.
Also Chicago is mad racist and segregated.
Everything else you said is true though.
Its mad racist and segregated because it is a democrat controlled city. Those types of cities tend to do that.
I will admit the South well Dallas and Austin have tons of hot girls. Not as much as South America but definitely more than I have ever seen anywhere in the US.
If I get a job at Madison Dearborn in Chicago....^^ then yea no point going anywhere else. CS is big in Chicago right?
I looked at the staff at MD and they are all Harvard, Yale, Umichigan, Northwestern, Uchicago, ....... and then 1 from my school Ohio State lol I am guessing he got very lucky lol
Chicago is def better than NYC. Comp is generally the same, cost of living is like 1/2, and Chicago is CLEAN. The waterfront has a beach instead of industrial crap. Where else can you lay on the beach 50 yards away from 80 story sky scrapers? Winter sucks though, can't argue that.
qwertyq, not sure where you hang out, but there are a TON of hotties in Chicago. There are more fatties than you'll find in Cali or NYC (midwest chicks love beer and food), but if you are hanging out in River North / Bucktown / Wicker Park / Gold Coast, etc. there is easily as much talent as any other city.
Horrible summer in NYC - stinks everywhere, rude people, cramped housing, no place to be alone, no open space....give me the Midwest any day. No job in NYC is worth putting up with all of this.
Let's be honest here though--if someone offers you an excellent job but it happens to be in a location you never really considered, you're going to make the move.
i live on wall street... and there has never been a day where it has not smelled like piss outside. fact.
but nyc still is the hub of civilization.
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