I came here from the North Bay Area to go to NYU, graduated, and am still here.



These are in order of importance:



- There is only one rat/roach-safe place for unrefrigerated food, and that is on top of your refrigerator.

- It is OK to initiate eye contact once per person if the other person is good-looking, but not if they are begging or hustling.

- It is OK not to acknowledge hustlers.

- It is better to look someone in the eye and tell them you won't give them money than to ignore them. Sometimes a "God bless you" will take the place of a dollar.

- Befriend some natives. You will learn a lot. And you'll have a ride when you need to move.

- More than half of the people out at 2 a.m. on a weekend are drunk, too. It is OK to mess with them.

- Be alert for puke on the ground. Always.

- Just about everyone under 25 who looks like they've got money is either faking or has a trust fund. Don't feel bad about being poor.

- You will move just about every year until you find an absurd housing deal. Natives own all the rent-controlled apartments. See "befriend some natives," above.

- If you saw it in Time Out New York or New York Mag, it will be sold out or too expensive. Do something else.

- The city is only lonely if you don't try to make friends.

- You must spend at least half of your summer evenings on rooftops.

- All clubs are a waste of money, even if there's no cover, unless you and your friends fill the place.

- You will have musician friends. It is important to go to their gigs.

- There is no shame in kickball on a sunny day.

- There is no shame in going places alone.

- There is no shame in subletting.

- There is a shit-ton of green space if you're willing to travel to get there. Bring a friend.

- Winter is cold. Protect your ears.

- Christmas comes twice a year: Dec. 25, and when all the NYU kids leave for the summer. Go dumpster diving. You're saving the environment.

- Everyone here is at least slightly nuts. That includes you. Deal with it.