What's the hype around NYC?

I'm a first year analyst at at a botique firm (PWP/Greenhill/Moelis) in the NYC office and don't understand the hype around the city. Shits so expensive (plus atrocious rent and taxes) and living a comfortable life becomes much more difficult as you get older compared to Chicago/ATL/Boston. I understand most banking takes place here but wouldn't it make more sense to start at Chicago and gun for top buyside opps in the city and just live more lavishly there

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As someone who’s originally from the Midwest, I totally understand your view here. However I believe the draw to NY is largely about career flexibility. Don’t like your bank/group? You can network with folks at endless other banks and buyside shops down the street. Starting in nyc doesn’t cut you off from exits elsewhere either - most of the bigger Chicago/Boston players regularly come into town to interview. You’re at a reputable EB, I’m sure you can get into the interview process with plenty of out-of-town firms if that’s your goal.

 
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If it makes more sense to start in Chicago then you should have done that. I'm sure you chose to come to New York right?

More broadly, anyone who keeps complaining about New York should simply leave if they don't like it that much. The city is not dying like all those news articles would have you believe and really no one cares if you leave because New York will go on. The mental gymnastics I see and hear from some people like convincing yourself the city won't come back and then trying to convince others so your opinion will feel validated is so tiring. 

If you think it's so expensive with atrocious rents and taxes, then do your two years and go move elsewhere. There will always be a line of people looking for your job and your apartment.

 
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"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

You think people are crazy for living in NYC and people will think you're crazy for wanting to live anywhere else. It's a vibe - some people get it, others don't. Some go halfway and live in like Hoboken or something like that. Either way, if you don't dig it now, as a 22 year old, you'll never be happy here. 

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From what I remember (it's been a couple years), Chicago is primarily blonde midwestern girls of Northern and Eastern European ethnicity, is this no longer the case?

Quant (ˈkwänt) n: An expert, someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing.
 

You don’t understand the hype during a global pandemic? Shocker.

I call bullshit you definitely don’t live in NYC right now and are trying to justify living in Chicago with all the fatties. Enjoy your jazz bars. Quit the smear campaign and get off your fat ass.

 

New York isn't for everyone.  Don't like it?  Don't stay!  There are tons of people who don't want that vibe.  If you're an early bird, or you don't drink, or whatever your reason may be, NYC isn't meant to be universally attractive.  But if you're going to complain about the rent and taxes, what the hell are you doing living in Chicago or Boston?  Go live in Duluth.  If you want the energy and culture and connectivity of being in a city, you'll like New York.  If you don't like those things, you won't.  Not everyone is all about living as "lavishly" as possible.  Besides, the extra 15 grand a year you save living in Chicago (generously) doesn't buy you access to Broadway, or a 24 hour transportation network.  Like in everything, there are trade offs.  You could live in Gary, Indiana and have a shorter commute into Chicago than you would from Westchester County outside New York, and save even more on rent, but my guess is you don't, because things other than more money in your bank account have value.

 

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