A lot of people were born and raised in New York City.
A lot of people were brought up by non-New Yorkers who fretted about every little thing their babies did in NYC. But there are so many people who moved here as a teen or an adult and are still dealing with overbearing parents who have no clue about the city.
These non-New Yorker parents are the kind that worry about your safety, your finances, and your lifestyles, and let you know their opinion every. single. day.
We made this list to clear up a couple common misconceptions about life in NYC.
So if your parents are freaking out, take notes... then again, they probably won't believe a thing you say until they see you're okay for themselves. We understand your pain.
1. A shoebox apartment for $1,500 a month is a steal
We live in an expensive city (see #3). But we love our tiny, studio apartment that we can barely fit furniture in because it's in the perfect location to work hard/play hard.
[anad]
You only need ten minutes to get to work, have a bar right down stairs where they know your favorite drink, and a dollar slice joint across the street that makes the best pizza in the city. You're golden.
2. We're not going to get mugged when we walk outside
Welcome to life, it's a dangerous thing. You could get mugged, assaulted, killed anywhere. Just because all your parents see on the news is violence does not mean that you are going to get jumped as soon as you walk out your front door.
We have to admit, it's certainly more dangerous than the subways, but we're more aware of the dangers than people from other cities and towns. We've learned to look out for ourselves and one another.
But no matter what, your mother will tell you "I told you so," if you ever get gypped out of anything. Don't even think about telling her you lost your wallet, because we can guarantee she'll think you were pick-pocketed or mugged. Trust.
3. It's expensive
We're not just talking housing... You want a beer? It better be happy hour. Sure the subway only costs $2.75 a trip, but when you're paying $5 a day to get to and from work, then maybe another $5 to and from dinner with a friend or the gym, or wherever, it adds up.
[anad2]
When you told your parents that all you wanted for your birthday was some cash, they didn't believe you that you just needed it to pay your bills. But you're barely making ends meet, and could really use some dollar dollar bills instead of that useless hoverboard.
4. Times Square is a sh*thole
The only thing that your parents know about the city is that the ball drops here every year. All of their friends tell them how wonderful it is to walk through all of the neon lights.
It's not wonderful. It's a tourist trap full of creepy, disgusting mascots who will literally run you down if you dare take a picture of them without leaving them a "tip."
This city has so many better places that your parents need to see when they visit. Then they can go home and brag to all of their friends that they skipped the overrated tourist BS and toured the city like a local.
,5. You do not need a car... ever
Why oh why do parents think it's necessary to have their car? Really, driving in the city is not worth it, especially if you don't know where you're going. Run out of gas? You may be screwed with some pretty steep prices.
Once you actually get to where you want to go, you need to find parking.
[anad]
Don't be surprised when it comes time to pay the bill and you're stuck with a $40 (or higher if you're in Midtown) tab just to park your car.
Skip the car, take mass transit.
6. The subway is the best source of transportation
Your parents probably always hear about how terrible/dangerous/unreliable the subway is. And don't get us wrong, it's certainly unreliable and dirty, but it's not as horrible as they make it out to be. You aren't going to get pushed onto the third rail every time you swipe your MetroCard.
It's a great method of transportation. You can pretty much get anywhere you want to go in the city (along with some walking), without needing a cab just to get stuck in gridlock rush hour traffic. The subway skips all of that.
7. It's home
Sure, you might have grown up in quiet, suburb where you could see the stars, but now you can't sleep without the sounds of car horns, the vibration of the subway under your bed, and the neon lights twinkling through your window.
[anad2]
You know that you live in the greatest city in the world, and you wouldn't change it for anything.
Check out 12 Things Bound to Happen When Your Parents Come to Visit NYC.