Dear readers,

    I was walking down some streets near Times Square the other day, when two drops of water came spiraling down from the sky and landed, not so graciously, on top of my forehead.

    At first, I thought it was rain. I looked up into the sky. It was, in fact, a beautiful day without clouds. Before I knew it, another drop flew right at me, this time splashing itself on the tip of my nose. I realized it belonged to one of the many AC (air conditioner) units on the building next to me.

    As a city dweller in New York, you get used to being drizzled with AC water every so often. Eventually, you learn to walk near the edges of the streets to avoid AC rain. Cities are drastically different from the suburbs, and different cities can be quite dissimilar as well. With the fast-paced life here, you have to learn and adapt to living in new cities very quickly. From my time, I’ve learned a bit about New York City that I would like to share with you. Here’s a bit about transportation in New York that I’ve observed.

    In my opinion, transportation in New York is quite convenient. The roads are laid out in a grid pattern, running either north-south (avenues) or east-west (streets) in each direction. Avenues are usually labeled by numbers, such as Fifth Avenue, which is known for its luxury brands and shops. Streets can include a direction and number — for example East 42nd Street. Be careful, however, since most avenues are one-way, and the direction alternates. For example, if this avenue is northbound, the avenue next to it is likely southbound.

    One of the most important transportation tools in the city is the subway. It is preferred over driving mainly because the underground system avoids traffic and saves time, especially during rush hours. To take the subway, you just need to know where to get on and where to get off. Sounds easy? Well, it is, as long as you find the right subway entrance, swipe in, and hop on the subway line that goes in the right direction. Keep in mind that uptown trains go north and downtown trains go south. Of course, you need to remember to get off at your stop, and find out again which way is north and which way is south once you’re above ground. You could use a smartphone map to find your way, but I prefer being old school and not relying on technology — that way you can have a truly adventurous experience while exploring the city.

    Sincerely,

    Bingyin