You’ll meet certain types of people again and again here in New York City. Some of them, like your local bar’s resident townie, will not be particularly helpful to you as you try to get through daily life in this crazy city.
But other people in this city and beyond will be absolutely essential to your sanity and your survival. We’re here today to toast these heroes who few of us could do without. These are the four people who will help you survive life in New York City.
The hyper-social super-planner
New York City is stressful, and you’ll have a lot of days when you just want to sit around in your apartment, watch Netflix in your pajamas, and relax. But, on other nights, you might want to do something — maybe something a little more interesting than just heading to the local bar.
That’s when you pick up your phone and find a text or a social media post from this person: The hyper-social super-planner who is always doing something unique.
This person has been checking out Thrillist, Gothamist, and Time Out New York. They actually read every email that the Skint sends out.
They know where the free stuff is, what concerts are happening, which sports teams are in town, and what pop-up restaurant simply can’t be missed. And when you can, join this person for a preplanned day or evening.
Why become this in-the-know yourself when you can rely on this heroic friend? Hyper-social super-planner, we salute you.
Your therapist
Do you need therapy? Well, that may not be the right question to ask. See, therapy isn’t just for people who have mental health disorders or other forms of mental health challenges (and we all have some form of challenge to our mental health, even if it’s just the stress we feel when we’re trying to squeeze onto the subway).
Therapy is for everyone because it’s all about examining our own thought patterns and actions and learning strategies that can help us live happier lives and be more like the person that we want to be.
That’s why everyone should consider therapy, say the experts at Therapy Group of NYC, and New Yorkers have a few reasons to be especially proactive about protecting and improving their mental health.
After all, this city is very stressful. Choose therapy, and you’ll soon see why your therapist is one person who will help you survive daily life in this maddening metropolis.
Your work buddy
Working life is tough, but it’s particularly tough in New York City. Around here, we work longer hours and deal with more stressful commutes.
We’re in cutthroat competition with the best of the best who come here because it’s the biggest stage for just about any kind of professional career. To make it in New York City, you have to work your butt off, make the right connections, and keep up with the competition.
But you do have to stay sane, which is why you should be so grateful for that one normal person at your place of work — the one you can confide in and count on, whether that means covering your shift, helping you with a project, or hitting happy hour after work.
The non-New Yorker you talk to regularly
Whether it’s your mom, your dad, a best friend from your hometown, or a fellow New Yorker who has said “goodbye to all that,” it’s nice to have regular contact with someone who lives outside of the city.
New York City is unlike any other place on Earth, and while that makes it an exciting place to live, it can also mean that we’re living in a bubble. The people who we meet and the challenges we face are not necessarily representative of those who exist elsewhere in the country or the world.
So chat regularly with your important out-of-town lifeline. It’ll help you keep your perspective on the city and the world at large, and it will remind you that there is life beyond this concrete jungle. If you can visit this friend of family member from time to time to escape the city, then so much the better.
