A Little History

New York City is the cultural capital of the United States. That is due to the city’s diversity and intellectual life. It began in the 20th century when it became the city we know today. The recognizable urban landscape, a five-borough “Greater New York”, was formed in 1895 from independent cities such as Queens and the Bronx and Manhattan combined. About eight million individuals live in the five boroughs today.

Within the Borough

New York City is full of character in each and every corner, that’s what makes it so desirable to travel and live in. Whether you are currently in college and there for just the summer or are currently beginning your post-graduate studies or career, there is a neighborhood perfect for you. The city is made up of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. According to a collection of resources, the top neighborhoods for millennials are Queens, Lower East Side, Murray Hill, Upper East Side and Brooklyn.

Picking a Neighborhood

The neighborhoods listed above boast of trendy nightlife, dining entertainment and shopping. Prior to choosing your neighborhood the location of your workplace and price will need to be taken into some serious consideration. After that, it is up to what vibe fits your lifestyle the best. Some questions to ask yourself: Do you want a roommate? What does your commute look like? Do you want to live in a noisy/quiet neighborhood? Do you want to have accessible parking? Do you want to have a doorman?

Nowadays finding an apartment is made quite simple with the internet. Check out these sites for apartment listings:

StreetEasy
Renthop
Open Igloo
Triplemint
Stuytown
PadMapper

Filling the Space

No matter how small your apartment is… you’re going to need furniture – maybe not a lot, sometimes your bed may have to double as a desk and/or a couch in studio apartments. But, hey, it’s totally worth it. Furniture is heavy and huge and totally not enjoyable to move up flights of stairs. First, measure your furniture to see if it will fit up your staircase, through your window or in your elevator. Second, look to moving companies or your friends to help maneuver items up to your apartment. To avoid all of this drama you could reach out to the previous renters and attempt to make a deal to keep their furniture. This takes a huge load of stress off their shoulders and yours.

Making Friends

It can be extremely overwhelming to move to a city as large as New York City. There are millions of people, millions of opportunities to meet friends and millions of places to do so. As mentioned in my previous article “Three Ways to get Situated in a New City”, #3 offers a great strategy for meeting friends.

“CHAT WITH A STRANGER AT BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND DINNER.”

Dining always generates conversation! Find a local bar or cafe and chat with a stranger over a coffee or glass of wine! A great excuse to eat meals out is because of an empty kitchen, so do this within the first few days of your arrival to avoid the financial guilt. As you do this, challenge yourself to chat with someone at each restaurant! It is always a great surprise to see their familiarity with the city, sometimes it is a tourist that is asking you for recommendations; sometimes it is a long-time local that has to share with you the greatest little hole in the wall restaurant, and sometimes it is another new resident that you can share the process of moving with. Whoever and wherever and whatever the conversation is about, you will gain something that you will benefit from.”

If this is too spontaneous for you. Sign up for a platform like “The JoyList NYC” or “MeetUp” that can filter your niches to find friends like you.

Keep in mind, this is just our beginner's guide, we understand there is more you want to know before your big move to the Big Apple. Begin with digesting this information: pick a neighborhood, start a packing list, and sign up for some new networks.

Follow us @edgemag to stay tuned for our next guide… don’t worry it'll be soon!

Moving to NYC: Beginner’s Guide