Survival Tips for Students Moving to New York City

Explore Sep 19, 2019

Moving to New York City in the fall as a student? Excited, happy, scared?

new york city college student tips

New York is a city where dreams come true. If you’re a non-native New Yorker there are several things that can be daunting for someone who is living in NYC as a college student for the first time. Student housing in NYC is plentiful and there is truly something for everyone! There are many affordable student apartments in NYC. So if that applies to you, let’s get started with a New York City 101 for students moving to the Big Apple!

1. A native New Yorker might refer to you as the B&T crowd. You might be confused, but certain that it isn’t a good thing. You’re probably right. B&T stands for Bridge and Tunnel. Since Manhattan is an island, you need to take a bridge or a tunnel to get to the city. (Of course, this does rule out the river, but this isn’t the 18th century and so it is likely that you are a B&T crowd). Many student housing properties in NYC are located in close proximity to transport links. But worry not, most people who live in New York are from outside. New York attracts the best in the world, so be glad that you made it and focus on achieving your dreams!

B&T-Manhattan-bridge

2. The subway is very important. Download the map, memorise it. Remember that most subway lines run North-South. So if you’re studying on the West side, try finding an affordable student apartment on the west side. Going up and down Manhattan is easy, but going east to west is difficult unless your student apartment is on 14th street, NYC (which has an L train that runs East-West).

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3. Most places in NYC offer free wifi. From libraries to coffee shops to public parks – you can pretty much hook up to the interwebs anywhere and start working. So if your New York student apartment ever runs out of bandwidth, you know you’re never going to be offline here! The city is all about getting things done and you have all the tools you need to make that happen!

Internet-access-to-New-York-Crowd

4. When you hail a cab, you’ll notice that while the lights are on, it still doesn’t stop. The fear of rejection can be acute – especially when you’ve been waiting for 20 minutes (and you could have just walked in 15, perhaps). So here’s what you need to know. The top white cones are ad spaces. If you look carefully, you will notice a black band below the ads which has a set of numbers on it. This is the sign of taxi availability. If that light is off, then that cab is not in service. If the light is on, go ahead, stick out your thumb and ride to your destination in style (well, somewhat).

new-york-city-taxi-cab-rules

5. When you’re looking for student housing in NYC, do not book with anyone who isn’t verified. Try to gain as much information as possible. Ask for a floor plan, size of house, and photos. Do not fall for words like “quaint” or “charming”. This means the apartment is tiny. New York is rife with matchbox apartments and aggressive realtors. So you must be very careful while signing a lease. Read the lease of your student housing in New York carefully, don’t sign anything you can’t commit to. Don’t share documents with unverified people, ask for references.

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6. Cash is not important. In a lot of cities and countries, cash is the only way to buy things. But in New York, even the street vendors carry card machines. So don’t worry about carrying cash. After all, you’re in the most materialistic city in the world! So travel light with plastic in your pocket.

new-york-city-street-vendors

7. If it all gets too much, just switch off your phone and spend a day strolling through Central Park. This 843 acres of prime real estate is filled with sights and sounds that can replenish a tired mind. From lakes, trees, birds, squirrels to gorgeous wooden and rock landscaping – this park provides a much-needed rest from the hustle of the city.

To find the ideal place to stay in New York City, have a look at our Student Apartments in New York. Unilodgers can help you reach one step closer to your next home away from home! 

Unilodgers is the world’s leading platform to book student accommodations and serves over 2 million students from over 195 countries every year. We provide students exclusive offers on student housing options and make it easy to book the accommodation that’s the best fit for you.

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