Olivia from Class 4:
Olivia moved from Albany to New York two weeks before her 19th birthday. This is her advice on moving to the City:
1) Check out the neighborhood you’re moving to during the day and at night to make sure you feel comfortable there.
2) Look into renters insurance. It’s really cheap and protects all your expensive things.
3) Some streets require permits to park a moving truck while you’re moving in, they will
ticket you in a heartbeat!
4) Make sure to budget so you know what you can spend on rent every month. You don’t want to get stuck paying more than you can afford.
“I was part of class 4, and graduated in April 2010. I did research on apartments to get an idea of what was out there and what kind of prices to expect, but didn’t start seriously looking until a month before the move. Then I took day trips to the city and looked at as many places as I could in one day. I finally realized how quickly apartments get rented in the city and picked up one I loved in the Upper East Side.”
Meg from Class 11:
Meg moved to New York from Ohio when she was 22. Here’s her advice for relocating to the big apple:
1) Get to know the area and get excited by following a few local blogs and/or buy a new travel book.
“Moving to New York City is exciting. I remember prior to moving to the city, I started following a few bloggers who lived in Williamsburg. I was so excited when I moved here, to finally explore a place I felt like I knew a little about.”
2) Having some regular spots/make New York smaller:
“The quicker you get into a routine the easier the adjustment will be. Whether that means becoming a regular at a local coffee shop or joining a gym etc…”
3) Share with your new friends.
“You’ll find to that cosmetology school is a great way to make new friends. Since your class will (most likely) be a mix of locals, new-to-towners, and people who’ve been in the city for a while, they will become a great source of “information” for you. I was constantly picking everyone’s brains for places to eat, shop, and things to do!
Tags: Add new tag, Alumni, Inspiration, New York City Living, Student, Testimonials
Downsize everything, your apt may be a shoebox however the whole city is your apt: the restaurants are your kitchen, the bars and cafe’s your living room and the whole city is your real life TV and sound system, the museums and galleries are your coffee table books for inspiration. The whole city lives and breathes inspiration, find your personal niche and run with it. your apt is for sleeping and it is amazing what possessions you can live perfectly well without
Loretta
School Director
Moving to NY was overwhelming to me, but once I learned to tune out the millions of people, it got much easier. I like Meg’s advice to have regular hangouts.
This City is the most amazing city to live in and experience. I moved myself from California to New York now 8 years ago and have never looked back, thinking that I made the wrong decision. Theres so much excitement, entertainment, inspiration, and places to explore that there is never a dull moment. Its so easy to over look the apartment sizes when theres so much more going on and you’ll really never even spend much time there any how. My only recommendation in moving to a city like New York is to stay friendly and open to others and to be open to exploration and new adventures.
Arianna Marino
School Director
I moved to New York City 15 years ago and I’m as excited about living here as the first day I arrived.
My advice to those relocating to New York while studying hair is remain open to all different types of people and follow your curiosities and passions and use your interest in hair as a wonderful excuse to get to know people and the city. You’ll also meet a lot of students from the area as well as those who are new to the city. Very quickly you will see New York open its heart to you and your social calendar will be full very quickly!
For those who don’t know anyone and are looking for roommates, I recommend using one of New York’s many roommate agencies that screen people looking for roommates for a small fee. It’s a secure way to find great apartments with reliable, friendly roommates.
Pia Vivas
School Educator
I moved to New York City about a year and a half ago, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.
My advice to newbies is to take time every week to explore somewhere new. This city is vast and rich with culture, so digest it gradually. The places and people here will serve to inspire your creativity and enhance your world view. It’s like no other city in the world, so get here and embrace it!
The best thing about first experiencing New York was wandering around the city and letting people, places, and things find me.
I can not emphasize enough how magical it can be just to walk down a city block on a spring afternoon and be carried away with whatever catches your eye.
I have been here for over 10 years and proudly call it my home.