Ten Practical Tips for Living in New York City

If you’re coming to New York City to study fashion merchandising, marketing, or enter any of LIM’s other fashion business programs, here are a few quick practical tips to help you assimilate to the rhythms of life in the most exciting city in the world.

1. Wear comfortable shoes. You will be doing a lot of walking.
2. Speaking of walking, most New Yorkers have somewhere to be, so they walk fast and purposefully. Don’t stop in the middle of the sidewalk. If you need to look at your phone or want to admire the scenery, kindly stand off to the side so others can pass.
3. As soon as you arrive, learn which ways are north (uptown), south (downtown), east, and west. Once you know this, you'll know how to walk practically anywhere.
4. Time is an extremely valuable commodity to New Yorkers (see #2 above). When ordering food, know what you plan to order before you get to the counter.
5. Bring less stuff with you. Living spaces are generally pretty small. Carefully go through the items you own before you come here, and only bring what you really need.
6. When riding an escalator, keep to the right side if you’re going to stand still. The left side is for walking up/down.
7. When taking the subway, double-check on the MTA app or other commuter apps to make sure your train is actually running and not skipping stops.
8. Get a jacket/coat with a hood. Since you’ll be walking around outside a lot, you’ll be glad you can put up your hood for protection when it rains or snows.
9. Always look both ways when crossing the street – especially when there’s a bike lane. Do not take it for granted that cyclists (and sometimes even motorists) will stop at red lights.
10. Embrace being your authentic self. Don’t worry about sticking out or not fitting in. In New York, there’s a place for everyone!