My travels to New York have been the most exciting and interesting trips of this year (and of my life to be honest). I hopped on a plane across the ocean to see the city that never sleeps all by myself and as someone who had a lot of ideas of what the city would be like, I still learned a lot. Mainly because I was doing it all solo. So here are all the things that I learned about NYC (and myself!).
1. Anything can happen in New York
They always say New York is the city where dreams come true and although a lot of people probably don't feel the same as they've seen their goals crash and burn, the skyscrapers and city vibe definitely give you the idea that you can make anything possible.
2. NYC is the city of extremes
I feel like this applies to a lot of things. The weather can be 15 degrees with lots of rain one day and -8 degrees and sunshine the next day. I have also never seen so much poverty and high class people with Starbucks cups glued to their hand. Especially that massive difference made me quite sad when I was there.
3. Compliments. And I mean A LOT of compliments
I think American people are much easier in socializing than Europeans. Although I have learned from actual Americans that a lot of the so called compliments and being 'nice' is a bit fake, I thought it was refreshing to have a chat here and there since I was travelling solo.
4. You get lost on the subway more than once
On my second trip to New York I kind of felt like a true New Yorker. In the way that I didn't feel as anxious as I did the first few days I was here. I had already been in the city before, knew my way around and definitely understood the subway system. Until ya girl ended up in Queens on a train with screaming children eating smelly crisps. I got out on the first station and boarded the next train back to Manhattan.
5. You can do everything if you set your mind to it
Going to New York by myself was scary and exciting at the same time. I remember the first day I arrived. There was snow everywhere, it was dark outside by the time I got to my hotel and I felt utterly exhausted from my first ever long haul flight. I remember wanting to go to the supermarket to get some things, but wandering around in the dark in a city that I didn't know was scary to me, so I didn't. On my second trip I dropped of my suitcases at the hotel, changed out of my sweaty airplane look and hopped on a train to Target. Oh, how times change.
6. Manhattan is BIG
On Google Maps it looks small but those blocks are hella long. I don't mind the walking but after a few days I do get tired and I might hop on the subway to make it easier for myself. Especially if I'm in The Village and I want to go to the Upper East Side.
Not a sponsorship for Nike, but I do love this quote. So many times I was contemplating if I should do this or that and honestly you are not going back to the exact same place as you were before, so just do it. This means asking that stranger on the Brooklyn Bridge to take a photo or entering a café that you saw on Instagram but there are actually no people there. Life's too short to do it another time.
8. It's okay to be alone
A lot of people can't be by themselves and that’s okay. I don't mind it at all and I do think it's quite refreshing sometimes since it's only me, myself and I. You have to figure things out, find the way and there is no one who can do it but you. New York is also the best city for travelling solo, since so many people do things by themselves.
9. Everything looks like a movie set
Since most Hollywood series and films are shot in New York I kind of had an idea what the city would look like. Turns out the real deal is even better. All the buildings are amazing and make you feel so tiny. Especially The Village is my fave since the Friends building is there. Got to love a bit of Friends. I am actually wearing a Friends jumper as we speak!
10. Be proud of your choices
When I told people I was going to New York they all got excited. When they asked who I was going with I already knew how they were going to reply. ''Oh really? All alone? Don't you get lonely? How do you get your way around the city?'' I got used to it after a while but it's still annoying that travelling solo in 2018 gets that sort of backlash. Just let me be!
I made a New York City Guide with everything you need to know. Find it here!
What did New York teach you?