Image via Complex Original
To many newcomers of New York, the city can be one of the scariest, most intimidating places in the world. Luckily, the rep New Yorkers get for being unfriendly is (mostly) untrue. This city can take you to great heights, whether you've come to the big metropolis to pursue a creative endeavor or to do some general soul-searching—not to mention all of the interesting people you'll meet. All it takes to survive in New York is an unsmoteable spirit and a bit of street smarts, both of which come with time. But, if time is not on your side, with our list of essential NYC hacks you can skip the missed trains and the angry man at the bodega grumbling, "Cash only." You're welcome—and welcome to the jungle.
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Lampposts in Central Park have letters and numbers painted in white to indicate your location. The first two numbers indicate what street is nearby, if the last two numbers are odd, you are closer to the west side of the park, even numbers mean you are closer to the east side.
A sturdy $20 umbrella will last longer than four $5 umbrellas.
Need a restroom? Stop by one of the city's many New York Public Libraries.
Find the location nearest to you here.
Don't make eye contact with beggars or salespeople on the streets. They will approach you. In fact, wear sunglasses (and headphones) at all times.
Traveling from Astoria to Brooklyn? Take a nap during the commute without having to worry about someone stealing your bag by wrapping it around your foot.
Forget gym memberships. There are numerous locations in the city with Yoga to the People. The best part? The classes are all donation-based.
Find a class near you here.
Get to your go-to coffee shops early if you want seating or a table with an outlet nearby. New Yorkers are up at the crack of dawn and ready to hustle.
Avoid vacant trains. Chances are, they are probably strewn with beggars and bodily fluids.
Brew a pot of coffee, and let it cool in the fridge the night before so you'll have iced coffee ready for the next morning. No more spending $3+ or waiting in lines for coffee.
If you're living on a budget, or moving around from apartment to apartment, don't bother buying drinking glasses or cups. Recycle old jars and use them as glasses instead.
You can transfer within two hours of swiping your Metrocard at one station. This means you can change to a different line, as long as it's going in the same direction (downtown to downtown, uptown to uptown.) You can also transfer from bus to subway, or vice versa.
Always keep at least $20 on you. Many places in New York only accept cash, and if they take credit, there's most likely a minimum amount you must purchase.
It's pronounced "HOUSE-ton," not like the city in Texas.
Don't take up the entire sidewalk when walking with your friends. New Yorkers hate that.
When standing, move to the side of the stairs and elevators designated for standing so that other people can move quickly past you if they're in a hurry.
When shopping for groceries at Trader Joe's, bring a friend. Have one of you wait in line with a basket while the other grabs groceries. Quick and painless.
Just an FYI, the MoMA is free from 4-8 p.m. every Friday. Go see The Starry Night as often as you'd like.
Learn how to go to NYC muesums for free, Monday through Sunday, here.
Most halal trucks in New York sell bottled water for $1. The vendors will try to charge you more; do not give in.
Get a monthly pass for the Metro. Even if you don't use it every day, you will most likely use it more if you know that you can get on the subway any time you want. You also don't have to worry about stopping to refill your card every other day, which is entirely worth the money.
If you plan on going to the movies with more than one other person, arrive more than half an hour early to get a few spots.
Learn the general vicinities of the doors when the train stops. This means you will get on the train quicker and can snag a seat before everyone else.
Coming out of the subway can be disorienting, so you should look for the next street to tell you whether you're going north or south.
Also, know that the traffic flow of the avenues alternates going uptown and downtown. So if you figure out one avenue (6th Ave. flows uptown) then you know you need to walk with the traffic flow to go uptown/north. From that, you'll know that 7th Ave. traffic flows downtown, 8th Ave. uptown, etc.
