30 Things New Yorkers Do

Big Apple to the Core

Being from New York gives you a certain attitude, fast-paced and totally unique, even a bit rough around the edges. There are aspects to everyday life that get so ingrained, it can be easy to forget that they don't apply to everyone everywhere. Some of these quirks are nice, others not so much (such as the new outrageous average rent amount), but they are all essentially New York.

New York Apartments — poludziber/istockphoto

You Don't Hesitate to Ask 'How Much Is Your Rent?'

Asking someone how much they pay for rent is considered normal small talk amongst New Yorkers. Drooling over someone's rent stabilized or rent-controlled apartment is also totally understandable. Especially given the recent report that the average rent in Manhattan now tops out at over $5,000 a month — 30 percent more than just a year ago.

You'll Ignore Neighbors in the Elevator

Being enclosed in small spaces with the same people over and over again is no reason to talk to them. In fact, you might get a dirty look if you are the person to say "hello" in the elevator.

Crosswalk Signs Are Optional for You

The little blinking men and hands are more suggestions than rules when it comes to crossing the street. New Yorkers know they can cross the street whenever there are no cars, or if they can safely make it across in time by running.

You Walk Fast Without Realizing It

Even when you have nowhere to be, you have somewhere to be in New York. Walking slowly, unless you are disabled or elderly, is a sure way to identify yourself as an out-of-towner.

You've Got a Distorted Sense of Space and Size

Any bathroom that can comfortably fit a human is huge by NYC standards. Likewise, any kitchen that has a full-sized stove and room for two people to stand in is king-sized.

No Driver's License — Allen.G/shutterstock

You Don't Have a Driver's License

Between the subway, ride-sharing apps, yellow cabs and walking, who needs a car? Many adults who have lived most of their lives in New York don't know how to drive a car.

You Turn to Your Bodega for Breakfast

The bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich plus a cheap coffee from the corner deli/convenience store is a balanced meal, not to mention affordable and delicious.

You Have Deep-Seated Emotional Feelings About Pizza

Pizza is a way of life in New York, and a staple to any good New Yorker's diet. You and all of your friends are likely to have a different opinion of what's the best slice in within any given 1-mile radius.

You've Come to Grips With Living Without a Closet

Learning how to live with one tiny closet or no closet at all is something most self-respecting New Yorkers have done at one point or another. Having ample closet space is a luxury, not a given.

Food Delivery Is a Basic Need for You

Your idea of comfort food is when you can click "reorder" on Seamless rather than leisurely cooking grandma's most memorable dish. Depending on the size and functionality of your kitchen, most of your meals might be delivery, and that is totally normal.

You Don't Flinch at the Sight of Rats

They live here, too. If you run around screaming because you saw a rat on the subway tracks, or rummaging through trash bags on the sidewalk, you're definitely not from around here.

Your Wardrobe Is All Black

The New York uniform is all black, no matter the season or temperature. If all of your clothes are all black for every occasion, you'll fit right in.

You Have Subway Blindness

New Yorkers have the unique ability to be literally pressed up against other humans on all sides, often in extreme temperatures, while riding the subway and pretend that they are in a room all alone.

You Don't Toast Your Bagel

Real bagels are not just round bread. And real New Yorkers don't toast or scoop their bagels, they eat them fresh with a schmear of cream cheese and probably smoked fish.

You Never Go to Times Square

Times Square and other touristy places are places to avoid at all costs, even if it means switching trains in order to dodge the crowds.

You Know Where the Best $1 Pizza Is

If you've lived in NYC long enough, you know which $1 pizza places are good and which ones are just “meh.” Pro tip: F&M Slice Pizza on Avenue C is very good.

You Don't Remember Fresh Air

The smells of New York are unique and pungent, like a fine cheese, except more gross. It's common for a New Yorker to get outside of the city and exclaim, "What's that smell, it's so nice!" upon breathing fresh air for the first time in a while.

You Hit the Weeknight Happy Hour

Going out on the weekends is for bridge-and-tunnelers; we go out on the weeknights to avoid the crowds.

You Know at Least a Little Spanish

Spanish is the unofficial second language of the city, and even if you've never worked or lived with Spanish-speaking people, you've picked up a few words here and there.

Your Decor Includes Sidewalk Furniture

You own at least one thing you found on the sidewalk, either on bulk trash day, or toward the end/beginning of the month when people move.

You Understand Real-Estate Relationships

You would, or have, dated someone just because their apartment was really nice and/or in a great location. It's okay, there's no shame.

You Can Move in 15 Days

You are able to pack up your entire life and move your home within 15 days. Moving in New York can't be planned too much in advance and has to happen quickly.

Seeing Celebrities Doesn't Surprise You

You don't get star struck when you see a famous person out and about, and even if you do, you play it cool so you don't embarrass yourself.

Your Biggest Fear Is Bedbugs

Worse than losing your job, worse than getting the flu, bedbugs are pretty much the worst thing that could happen to you. If you let a friend who had bedbugs stay with you while they clean their apartment (i.e. burning everything they own and finding a new place to live), you are an amazing friend.

You Look Down When Walking

You always look down, never up, to avoid stepping in dog poo or other gross unidentifiable puddles on the sidewalk.

You Work 70 Hours a Week

New Yorkers have ambition, and we're all basically workaholics. It's the city that never sleeps because everyone who lives here is always awake trying to take advantage of the infamous opportunity that abounds here.

You Have Roommates

Everyone who lives in New York has a roommate at one point or another. Apartments are expensive and space is limited, which means college-style housing with lots of friends is usually the way to get started.

You Lack Patience

New York moves fast, and so do its people. Waiting more than 5 minutes for anything feels like an eternity and will probably results in loud complaining, likely with another language mixed in; Spanish and Yiddish are most common.

Nothing Fazes You

You've seen it all, literally all. A clown on a tricycle with a pet lemur could ride down the block blasting Ace of Base's music, and it wouldn't faze you, because you've seen it all, and that's nothing compared to the person, or people, you've witnessed doing obscene things on the train.

You Have a Sense of Community

Even though you ignore your fellow New Yorkers, have probably yelled at them and been yelled at by them recently, you know that if anything happened that threatened the community in a serious way, everyone would band together in an even more serious way.

Find more fun lifestyle stories right here.