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21 things that suck about living in New York (and 5 that
make it worth it)

By Andy Verderosa On
September 10,
2013 · 10
Comments

1. Sketchy elevators

(via)

Whether it’s getting down to the subway or going up to your friend’s apartment in a building
built in the ’30s, elevators in New York are sus as hell. Every time you step
into one you’re playing Russian roulette (probably with some Russians, too).

Take a quick survey of the other passengers. Who is the weakest? Does anyone
look particularly handy? This could be your family for the next 48 hours. Who’s
going to be Piggy?

2. Expensive salads

(via)

We’re out here trying to stay fit. We’ve already accepted paying high prices
for gym memberships, but for some reason the idea of throwing down $10.50 for
some lettuce and two cherry tomatoes is just flat out immoral. It usually ends
up being about the same price for a bigger, non-salad item or just not worth the
hassle. Fuck it — I’m getting a slice.

3. Train delays

(via)

No matter how well you budget your time or prepare for the worst, some train
delays will absolutely screw you. While weekend construction is annoying enough,
at least you can plan ahead for those. But for the rest of the delays, which
seem to always happen during rush hour or when you have an appointment, MTA is
all “tough shit.”

4. Income inequalities

This infographic shows the skyscrapers of wealth disparity in
Manhattan.

5. Lines

(via)

Everyone has the same idea as you. Whether it’s hitting up a local brunch
spot or getting into a free concert, the city is packed, and everyone is trying
to do the same thing.

People say New Yorkers hate waiting in lines, but this really isn’t true. New
Yorkers have adapted to lines, and have turned them into rites of passage. This
summer, the most interesting place you could be was the cronut line. This person even brought a cronut to the rain room. By my
tally, this picture took about ten hours to create, not counting travel
time.

6. Rats

(via)

Rats!

7. People that are richer than you

(via)

People that are richer than you are the worst, and there’s no shortage of
them in New York. They are always doing rich-people stuff like eating at
restaurants that aren’t Chipotle and Instagramming pictures of themselves in the
first row of Beyonce concerts. They are the worst.

8. Parking

(via)

If you are lucky / unfortunate enough to have a car, you probably spend about
a quarter of your life thinking about parking. This means moving your car to the
alternate side of the street for cleanings, as if you didn’t have enough to
worry about. If you have a good parking spot, it may be worth staying at home
for the next week.

9. Traffic

(via)

Rush-hour traffic is bad, but at least it’s understandable. Why there is
traffic at 1am is a completely different story. Even if you don’t have a car,
you know the feeling of getting in a cab and watching pedestrians pass you as
you sit at red lights.

10. Card minimums / cash-only places

(via)

While bodegas and corner delis are the beating heart of the city, their card
minimums are a constant source of stress and unwanted gum. Cash-only places are
great for people who have foresight, but if you’re like me you used that $10
bill at a bar two weeks ago.

Read more: What
NOT to do in New York City

11. Movie prices

(via)

$14.75 per person is a lot of money. You could get a month and a half of
Netflix for that price. Where do all these pop culture bloggers get the money to
go see movies all the time?

12. Interacting with people constantly

(via)

People are generally the worst, and there are a lot of them in New York. They
are everywhere, except at Mets games (zing!).

13. Tourists

(via)

With all respect to the fact that tourists want to visit the Big Apple and
spend Yen / Euros / Bitcoins on overpriced v-necks, you all need to walk
faster.

14. The noise

(via)

You don’t realize how loud New York is until you leave and you can hear your
heart beating and your fingernails growing and you end up having a panic attack
from the eerie silence.

15. Not getting service in the subway

(via)

The subways are way older than smartphones, so it’s understandable that you
can’t snapchat in century-old underground tunnels. But wouldn’t that be great?
It’s very inconvenient to totally disconnect yourself while traveling,
especially when you’re going long distances.

16. Being reminded how ugly you are

(via)

Yep. Everyone is more attractive than you. Face the facts and get to work on
that personality.

17. Social competition

(via)

The problem with living in New York is that everyone has a better story than
you. Whatever cool rooftop party you went to, someone else you know went to one
with an even better view. I once saw Stephen Baldwin at the airport, only to be
story-topped later by someone who had dinner with Alec.

18. James Franco

(via)

James Franco lives in New York. James Franco will steal your girlfriend.
James Franco will publish your unfinished book of poems under his name. James
Franco will found a startup that you thought of years ago. James Franco will
like your sister’s Instagram. James Franco’s future passion project will be your
mom’s favorite movie.

19. FOMO

(via)

With so much going on in the city, any time you are checking something on
your phone, sleeping, or relaxing in your tiny apartment, you are probably
missing out on something amazing and wonderful and at the least — worth
Instagramming. You are probably missing out on something right now.

20. The smell

(via)

This is a common complaint, but you have to say it. Sometimes, and for
reasons often unknown, you will get a waft of something so pungent, so
offensive, you will swear it is not of this planet.

21. Everyone has a dog. There is excrement everywhere.

(via)

The scariest part of this one is that these two sentences might be
unrelated.

And the 5 things that make it all worth it

1. Free shit

(via)

Despite the fact that everything is expensive, there is a lot of free shit in
New York to take advantage of. From concerts and movies, to museums and parks.
They say the best things in life are free, and while it’s true that Krispy Kreme
still charges, there’s plenty to do without going into your wallet.

2. Everyone is here.

(via)

Okay, there might be a few people in LA and like a handful in China, but for
the most part, everyone who matters is probably here, probably TriBeCa to be
specific.

3. Experiences that would never happen anywhere else.

(via)

On the train I witnessed a 60-year-old man in a leather vest, leather chaps,
and a leather dog-collar describe to an Italian family how to get to Houston
Street using only his sign language.

4. The great melting pot

(via)

You can get authentic cultural experiences from around the globe by just
hopping trains. New York is the most diverse place in the world, and you will
meet people daily from places you’ve never even heard of, like Short Hills, New
Jersey.

5. This place is fucking beautiful.

(via)

It’s a fact that you can’t escape. The views — from up top or down below —
are perfect and inspiring and make you feel small and big at the same time.

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Posted in:

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Destinations:

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About The Author

Andy Verderosa

Andy is a graduate student from the Bay Area. He currently lives in Austin,
Texas where he will never get used to breakfast tacos.

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view all → Andy
Verderosa

bigyaz

So all these photos that you used from various websites. Did you get
permission from the New York Times, Daily News, Crains, ABC News, etc.?
Because just putting “Via” link doesn’t cut it; you’re guilty of copyright
violations.

Titi

I love it!!! Makes me miss NYC!

Rebecca Hutner

New York — sometimes you gotta work for your fun but damnit, you’ll be glad
you did. Hilarious article, totally on point.

Eileen Vicente

Yup, that’s New York. Actually the rich and poor part is all about the
entire USA. That’s what I don’t like. I do love the fact that it’s a melting
pot. That, for me, is the best part. Yes, it’s stinky, elitest, crowded, and
the trains are NEVER on time. I live in Oporto, Portugal now. It’s the
poorest country in Western Europe. Frankly, I would prefer living on the
outskirts of New York, but I am here now, so this is where I will stay. The
best part of Portugal is that it’s got a rich interesting history and I love
the fact that the trains are NEVER LATE. Yes you can talk on a cell phone in
a train, and I’m never afraid there is a bomb hiding somewhere, or that
someone will pull out a gun and start shooting. I hate the fact that there
is an abounding amount of xenophobia here, and that I’m a target for it.
Europe is generally this way.

Eddy Zed

there is NOTHING positive about living in NY unless you are rich. I
totally disagree with the 5 reasons that make it all worth it. C’mon those
are BS reasons. How many times can you honestly go to XYZ museum for free to
make it worth it? I also always hate when people say “you can get whatever
you want delivered anytime you want!”. I have never been in a dire need for OJ
at 2am to have delivered and been so thankful for living in the disgusting
place.

disqus_DQwCeasIJP

This city SUCKS! I was born and raised here and I am looking forward to
moving out again!!

Perseus Wong

If #4 Income Inequality is a reason that sucks about living in NY, then why
do millions of immigrants from impoverished countries and less wealthy states
flock here? Why not stay in a place where incomes are equally poor like Haiti
or Burma?

TuTu

I was born and grew up in NYC and now live in New Jersey. The NYC &
North Jersey area is either full of rich phony, provincial, snobbish,arrogant
egotistical a******s or barbaric, , foreign speaking, immigrants. Every thing
here is judged by a dollar sign esp.the people. You don’t get what you paid
for in NYC you get RIPPED OFF, I really find it hard to believe that the
people are really happy living there. You are constantly stressed out and
never able to fully relax . This effects all the important parts of our lives.
And please don’t tell me it’s all a matter of attitude and not internalizing
it. Some twisted people (mostly in their 20′s & 30′s) thrive on the
insane in your face,hyperactive lifestyle. I am pretty sure truly spiritual
and sensitive people would not prefer to live in NY for any extended time. But
being how money obsessed human beings are these days I could be
wrong.

Anonymous

NYC life is hard. Its a long, unending struggle unless you got money cause
its so expensive. This city is so cluttered, crowded, stressful and most
people are assholes! There’s not a lot of positive things going for this city
except crime is low and generally, the city is safe now compared to 20+ years
ago. But low crime rates doesn’t mean your sanity is safe here. There’s a lot
of racial tension between people, peer pressure, extreme political correctness
that mostly protects the city’s assholes and not the victimized people here,
political corruption is extreme here, people are rude and nasty to each other
not just because the city is crowded, but because there’s always some social
competition going on, whether its in the work place, school or just on the
streets and subways. i always have to deal with stare downs from people,
especially young guys my age and its been reported that these stare downs can
lead to fights, and sometimes, killings, so all you can do is let them stare
you down and walk away from what would be a potential fight waiting to happen
if you want to survive. It’s not a nice town. Its trashy, the people are
trashy, nothing is really high quality service here, again unless you’re rich,
the schools suck, and people are fucking miserable here! I’ve been here my
whole life and I’m sick of it. Wish I could get out.

Win8-TrackBlows

First – New York is not a city. It is a mental illness.

Second – Everyone who matters lives outside of New York. Close off the
bridges and tunnels to the trucks bringing in food grown by all those people
out in “the sticks” who don’t matter one bit. See if you can eat that crappy
off-off-off-off-Broadway play you’ve been writing for twelve years.

Third – Prague is beautiful. Florence is beautiful. San Francisco is
beautiful. The Alps are beautiful. New York is a gold-plated commode.

Fourth – If you want to see other countries – see other countries. Doesn’t
matter if they’re from Burkina Faso, after three years they’ll just be rude
New Yorkers honking at you at a red light. Don’t ethnicity surf in your own
borough and pretend you’re seeing the world. You’re not. You’re sitting on
your couch at home.

Fifth – Donald Trump everything! Now that’s class,
baby!

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