I lived in Austin for 7 years and loved it, but moving to New York City made me realize I’ll never move back to Texas
Lifestyle

I lived in Austin for 7 years and loved it, but moving to New York City made me realize I’ll never move back to Texas

By Editor

[ad_1]

I moved to New York City from Austin, Texas, and I’m never going back. Joey Hadden / Insider

  • I moved to New York City from Texas in 2019 and I am sure that I will stay here in Brooklyn.

  • The energy of NYC fits my lifestyle better than my relaxed memories of Austin.

  • I love Austin, but I’m not moving back. This is what keeps me in New York forever.

  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

A photo of the author in front of blurry trees and city lights.

One of the last pictures of me in Austin before the move. Joey Hadden / Insider

I lived in Austin for seven years before moving across the country and I loved it.

Author with Austin in the background

Left: I live in Austin in 2016. Right: I’m visiting Austin in 2020. Joey Haden / Insider

Until I moved to New York City, Austin was my favorite place I have ever lived. I was close to my family and it was easy to make friends. In addition, my perfect pug continues to live here with my mother.

The Austin outdoor scene was inclusive and exciting. With free hiking trails in the hills and trails for strolling next to the Colorado River, there was always something outside to explore.

Similar video: Peter Pan Donuts has served Brooklyn for more than 70 years

When I went out in the evening the drinks were cheap and live music was never hard to find.

But living in New York made me realize that I would never move to Texas again, even if the rent is cheaper.

Two sets of three stacked photos showing an Austin apartment versus a Brooklyn apartment.

Left: My apartment in Austin, Right: My current apartment in Brooklyn. Joey Hadden / Insider

I paid $ 850 a month for a studio apartment in Austin in 2016.

Today I’m paying $ 1,650 for my one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn.

For me, it’s worth living in the city, paying the extra $ 800 a month rent, buying the expensive cocktails, and hauling pounds of groceries on the subway every week.

New York suits me better than Texas for many reasons.

The author on a tree-lined street with red houses.

I am strolling through the West Village in Manhattan. Joey Hadden / Insider

New York City fits my lifestyle better than Austin. Here are all the reasons why I stay in town.

I don’t drive, which makes life in Austin harder and life in New York City easier.

People sit in a subway car.

People will ride a J train heading for Brooklyn in 2021. Joey Hadden / Insider

I am not a fan of cars. I don’t like to be in them or even around them. The thought of driving a car just makes me think of the possibility of harming myself or someone else, so I never finished learning how.

In Brooklyn, life without a car is a breeze. While friends of mine complain about the lack of parking, I praise the city’s public transport system.

The story goes on

I used to feel uncomfortable navigating the subway stations, but taking the train around New York became second nature within a few weeks because I was doing it every day.

Traveling around town by train gave me a freedom I didn’t have in Austin, where I could rely on friends and ridesharing apps and sometimes walk over 20 minutes to the nearest bus stop.

In New York it is more common to hang out on rooftops.

Four pictures the author took on the rooftops of Brooklyn.

Photos I took on different rooftops in Brooklyn. Joey Hadden / Insider

Since moving to New York, there have been a lot more rooftop settings in my life. Beautiful views of the skyline are a backdrop for typical summer social gatherings.

I’ve always lived in a rooftop building in Brooklyn. The roof is a great place to hang out with friends when the weather is nice or watch the sunset, especially since I don’t have a garden.

Almost everyone I know has some kind of roof structure in their apartment. They’re great for parties, naps, and even hang-gliding.

There’s always something new to do in New York City.

A crowd in Central Park surrounded by trees with red, orange, and green leaves.

A party broke out in Central Park on October 31st. Joey Hadden / Insider

There is always so much to do in New York, especially now that everything is reopening.

I can practically anytime choose to spend an epic day of studying at amazing museums like the Museum of Natural History – or I can spread out independently among hundreds of New Yorkers in Prospect Park, where often people are playing music on the lawns on a sunny day .

Sometimes I stumble upon dance parties in parks and on rooftops. These meetings are always a good time, even when I’m not looking for them.

There’s always something new that I haven’t tried, a place I’ve never been and an experience I’ll never forget right around the corner from this city.

New York City is full of hidden corners of history, and I’ve been fortunate to find some of them.

On the left an abandoned fortress with graffiti and green above it. To the right are two red brick buildings with a blue door and a dark green door.

Left: Fort Totten, a Queens Civil War fortress. Right: Hunts Lane, a historic hidden street in Brooklyn. Joey Hadden / Insider

Whether it’s a million dollar house that used to be horse stables or an abandoned civil war fortress, history seems to lurk around every corner.

New York is my favorite place in the fall as the leaves change and bring splashes of color into the natural spaces of the city.

Groups of people in the park, with a foreground of brown leaves and a background of trees with yellow and green leaves.

Central Park in Fall 2020. Joey Hadden / Insider

I’m always happy to be in the northeast when fall falls – unlike Austin, where I missed the colorful foliage.

The fast-paced atmosphere in New York City keeps me motivated and I want more.

Three people ride bicycles on a Times Square zebra crossing with bright screens showing advertisements in the background.

Children on bikes ride through Times Square in April. Joey Hadden / Insider

When I leave New York it feels like my life is moving in slow motion. There is an energy in this city that in my experience is nowhere else.

As you walk around you will see so many different people doing so many different things – so much so that if you look around for a minute you will feel like you are behind.

This energetic atmosphere drives me through my working day. And being in a city where the possibilities feel endless makes me want more – more career success, experience, and relationships.

Since moving to New York, I’ve been infinitely motivated to make my life bigger, and it’s easy for me to maintain the mentality I can when I see everything around me.

I may be far from my family, but when you live in New York everyone wants to visit you.

The author and her friends and family come from outside the country.

Some visits with family and friends. Joey Hadden / Insider

With friends all over the US and family from Texas to Guam, I will miss loved ones no matter where I live, so I might as well live in one of the coolest places to visit.

Since moving to New York, I’ve let countless family members and old friends roam the city for a day or two. Adding a little love to my week is always a welcome surprise.

No matter where I go, coming home to New York City is always cute.

Buildings in Manhattan as seen from the tall One Vanderbilt building against a blue sky.

A photo I took from the top of One Vanderbilt, a new building in Manhattan. Joey Hadden / Insider

When I leave town for vacation or in any other way, I am never sad when I come back. This post-travel blues fades as soon as I see the skyline from my airplane window.

Read the original article on Insider

[ad_2]

Editor 3529 posts 0 comments
You might also like More from author