Over Spring Break, I took my roommate home to show her my hometown and to show her what’s around. One day during the week, we decided we would go to the city since I live roughly an hour and a half away and she had never been there before. Though I have been to NYC before, this was the most fun trip yet. So if you’re looking to go anytime soon, here are a few tips on what to do and what not to do.
(Photo by Zac Ong)
1. Don’t bring too many new people
Unless everyone in your party has never been, I wouldn’t suggest bringing a lot of new people. Everyone will have different ideas on what they want to do or where they want to go and it’ll be hard to hit everything on that list.
(Photo by Levi Guzman)
2. Don’t have a super structured itinerary
There is so much to do in the city that it can be hard to make a short list of things to do. But if you find a few things you absolutely want to do and learn to be okay with not necessarily hitting all of them, it will be a lot less stressful of a trip. Plus, it’ll give you an excuse to come back.
(Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters)
3. Leave early
For most college students, the word early invokes a sense of dread and loathing. However, leaving earlier in the morning will ensure that you’re not strolling back into your house at three in the morning. While that seems like a more manageable time, you’ll be exhausted from the day you just had of walking around and enjoying the city with friends.
(Photo by Ran Berkovich)
5. Don’t drive in
Obviously, you have to get there somehow but if you can avoid it, don’t drive into the city. It will only lead to frustration and a lot of wasted gas. Instead, drive to the nearest train station that has trains into NYC and take one. You’d be surprised at how quickly that becomes an enjoyable part of the trip.
6. Charge up and put your phone on low power mode
In the golden age of technology, Google Maps is one of the most useful tools when traveling and it is no different in NYC. You will be using your phone a lot to figure out where you’re going, Snapchatting people who aren’t with you on the trip, and Instagramming your lunch. Either way, the battery will drain faster than you can imagine. Make sure you go in with a full battery and keep it on Low Power Mode so you can maybe prevent it from dying. But if you do need to charge, just head to the nearest Starbucks, buy a coffee, and find an outlet to relax by.
(Photo by rawpixel.com)
7. The subway is your friend
New York City is huge and there is no way that you are going to want to walk everywhere that you go. Though the subways get a bad reputation, they are actually super helpful and a quick way to get you near where you need to be. Sure, it make take a few tries and some minor mistake before you can read the subway map correctly, but hey, you may find some new places that you would have never seen before.
(Photo by Matthew Henry)
All in all, just have fun and do you. These tips helped me have the most fun, but they may not all work for you. Find what works and enjoy your trip into the city!