20 Signs You Were Raised In NYC

Before coming to New York, I imagined myself living a life that shares at least some similarities with any of the characters in Gossip Girl. Being here for four years, going to a high school that isn’t even right in New York City, the great amount of time I have spent in the city has definitely taught me what a normal day as a New Yorker is like. Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, no matter where you live; you probably share the same ups and downs, and understand what it’s like to live in this great city. Here are 20 relatable signs you were raised in NYC.

1. You call NYC “The City” as if there are no other cities in New York.

2. Metrocard always works on the first swipe.

There is no need for you to worry about what others think of you when standing in front of the entrance, swiping your card a couple times before you get in;  because we’ve all done it so many times, it always works on the first swipe. 

3. Your school actually has racial diversity.

You can never relate to those mainstream American high school movies.

4. You can tell who is a tourist within a few seconds, just by looking at them.

5. You have never been to the Central Park Zoo.

6. You never feel disgusted seeing bags of trash on the street, because the streets are never clean.                                

7. You see so many concerts because New York is always the first or the last stop of the tour.

8. You walk fast.

Too fast. And you’ve mastered the skill to walk through a crowd of people. You never realize how fast you walk until you go somewhere outside of New York. 

9. Your dream is not to get a huge house, but to get an apartment that overlooks Manhattan instead.

10. You’re not surprised when you see people in SOHO dressed like they are in a high fashion runway show.

11. When traveling to places outside New York, such as LA, you always find yourself overdressed.

12. You probably still won’t have a driver’s license when you’re 40 years old.

People in NYC either walk or take public transportation, like the subway.

13. Sunday brunch with friends.

You are always on Yelp searching for good restaurants, especially for Sunday brunch. You sometimes need to wait more than two hours for a famous brunch place.

14. Pizza and a bagel for breakfast.

New Yorkers are always proud of their bagels and pizzas. They are different than those of any other place. 

15. You avoid 42th Street, where Time Square is, at all costs.

You can never image being in Time Square on New Year Eve.

16. You can stand and read on a subway, without holding onto something or someone.

17. You always complain about how broke you are, from trying new restaurants, but you never stop searching for them.

18. You’ve told your friends to meet up at the clock in the middle of Grand Central.

19. You always walk the streets in a zigzag to avoid stopping for lights, and to save more time.

20. You’ve saved money in MetroCard by squeezing two people through for one swipe.

These are 20 of the most relatable signs you were raised in NYC. What do you love about living in the city? Share in the comments!

Featured Image Source: pinterest.com