10 Things I Love About New York City

Moving to college for the first time is tough. Moving to a big city is tough. But moving to college in Manhattan for the first time can be insane. College is supposed to be one of the most fast paced times of your life, and getting to experience this time in the most fast paced city is incredible.

1. The nightlife.

New York City is known for being the city that never sleeps. No matter the time of day or day of the week, you can always count on there being some event happening in one of the boroughs. The city's bars are open until four AM, pizza is available 24 hours a day, and there's always a celebrity conducting an event somewhere in the city.

2. All of the dogs. 
The fact that I can't walk out of my building without immediately seeing a dog is truly amazing.

3. The culture. 

I grew up in a pretty white washed town in the South, and moving to one of the most diverse cities in the world was a pretty big culture shock. I love getting on the subway and hearing six different languages. The diversity of NYC is part of what makes the city so vibrant and beautiful.

4. The beautiful architecture. 

New York City is known for it's incredible architecture, and I have to say, nobody was exaggerating how beautiful the buildings and the layout of the city is. Walking around and looking up at the skyscrapers around you makes you feel immensely small, but it also makes you feel like you're a part of something bigger.

5. Broadway, baby. 

New York City is home to the Great White Way, and the city has watched thousands of works of art, song and dance their way across its stage.

6. Public transportation. 

Coming from a place where you have to drive a car to get just about anywhere, public transportation is truly a godsend. Nobody ever has to worry about being the designated driver. You can head underground and pop up in just about any of the boroughs for just under three dollars.

7. Helping out tourists. 

So I admit, I am not a local. Or really, a seasoned New Yorker, at all. But it feels pretty darn good when I help a tourist find their way or help them decide what train to take. It makes the city feel a little more like home.

8. The kids. 

I am an avid fan of children. I love their energy, their spirits, and their vibrancy. The kids living in NYC are especially energetic. One of the best parts of my day is seeing a kid run around in a park, race past me on their scooter, or practice their favorite dance routine on the subway platform.

9. The nature. 

You wouldn't expect the concrete jungle to have a ton of nature, but New York is home to some of the most beautiful parks. The city has tons of nature waiting to be discovered amongst the brick buildings.

10. The lights.

Okay, it's cliché, but the lights of the city are pretty inspiring. Looking out my window every night and seeing all these beautiful things that people have created reminds me that I'm here for a reason, and that I can do anything I set my heart and mind to.

Exploring Brooklyn

Recently, I've been really interested in exploring Brooklyn neighborhoods some more.  After my first year of college, I was able to get really well acquainted with most of the neighborhoods in Manhattan, and as I look forward into my junior year, I definitely want to find a cheaper apartment in Brooklyn.  I created some podcasts of me discussing some Brooklyn neighborhoods and things to do in those neighborhoods.  I chose the neighborhoods DUMBO, Clinton Hill/Bed-Stuy, and Prospect Heights/Crown Heights to discuss, since those are potentially some of the neighborhoods that I'm considering moving into next year.

1. DUMBO



2. Clinton Hill/Bed-Stuy



3. Prospect Heights/Crown Heights

7 TV Shows To Get Into While Procrastinating

1. Bones

Kind of like a classic crime show, and kind of not. This show features quirky romance, some hard to stomach dead bodies, creative murders, and a very attractive cast of intelligent scientists and FBI agents. The best part about this show is that even though it centers around crime solving, you become highly invested in the romance between the characters. Who doesn't love a high stress love and work environment? Netflix has 10 season of this show, so it's the perfect show to binge away on.

2. The Office

A classic television staple. Personally, this is one of my favorite TV shows of all time. This show is filmed mockumentary style about a mid-sized Northeast paper company called Dunder Mifflin. This show features quirky and silly characters, hilarious dead pan comedy, and a lot of office romance. You'll find yourself beyond invested in the relationships of the characters. And you're in luck, Netflix has all nine seasons of The Office!

3. Parks and Recreation

This show is similar to The Office, and yet still leaps and bounds different. Parks and Rec is also filmed mockumentary style about the work interactions of the Parks and Recreation department of the town of Pawnee. Amy Poehler stars as Leslie Knope, the feminist and naive female protagonist. This show also stars other big name actors and comedians like Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, and Rashida Jones. Unfortunately, the last season of this show isn't available yet on Netflix, the but the first six seasons are all on there.

4. Leverage

A Robin Hood style show in the present day, about a group of criminals and thieves who band together and fight corporate greed and government injustice. Leverage follows a five person team: a thief, a grifter, a hacker, and a retrieval specialist, led by former insurance investigator Nathan Ford. The tagline of the show is, "Sometimes bad guys make the best good guys." A pretty original show concept, with some cool heist scenes. All five seasons are available on Netflix for streaming.

5. Doctor Who

A British science fiction television show about aliens and time travel. A show with one of the greatest continuities in television history. There's the classic Doctor Who series that features 18 seasons, all of which are available on Netflix, and there's the new Doctor Who series, which has eight seasons on Netflix. The new Doctor Who features famous British actors like David Tennant, Matt Smith, James Corden, and Catherine Tate. This show is tough to explain and a little strange, but once you get into it, it's one of the most intricate and well done television series I've ever watched.

6. Bob's Burgers

One of the most hilarious adult cartoon shows of all time. This show isn't as raunchy or satirical as Family Guy or The Simpsons, but it's definitely the same kind of dry and silly humor. The show is about a family who owns and runs a burger joint, and their insane everyday lives. Netflix has four seasons of this show available for streaming.

7. An Idiot Abroad

This show can best be described as one of the most elaborate ongoing pranks on television. It's a British show produced by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, where they send their friend Karl around the world to experience the "wonders of the world." Karl has no interest in travel, anything exotic, or pretty much anything outside of his middle class United Kingdom life. Watching him complain and hate trying new things is pretty hilarious, not to mention the fact that Ricky and Stephen force him to stay in gross hotels, try very strange activities, and eat some very exotic foods. Netflix has three seasons available for streaming.