Finding your scene — one that you’re comfortable in — in a brand new city can be difficult, especially in New York City. The city is so big, and everyone already seems settled in their own busy lives that you feel lost and aloof. Believe it or not, everyone has felt this way at one point or another. In time, you’ll find your own community and favorite spots.
Here are a few tips to get you started.
Explore the museums
Keeping yourself intellectually stimulated can help direct you toward new interests and like-minded people. From the Whitney Museum to the Tenement Museum, there are a ton of art and history museums across New York City. At these spaces, you can find out if you’re more inclined to modern art or the classics or cultural history. Maybe you’re bored at museums and don’t care much for artists, and that’s fine too.
Check out community bulletins
If you’re more of an extrovert and want to explore the city with other people, then look out for community bulletins or events. Eventbrite, for example, has different types of events every day of the week. On the events there, you can discover New York’s food scene, coffee scene, music, and fashion scenes. Join a book club or a sports team. Be spontaneous, and try RSVPing to different types of events to see which ones you enjoy the most.
Take part in the night scene
New York has one of the most diverse and exciting night scenes. You’re bound to find your crowd among the speakeasies, rooftop bars, jazz bars, breweries, and clubs. Grab a cocktail, and go dancing. If you love live music, then buy tickets to a concert and find your favorite music venues.
Visit the different boroughs
New York is comprised of five different boroughs, which is why the city feels so much larger and diverse. Make sure to spend some time in each neighborhood, and experience their quirks, cultures, and vibes. Manhattan is always happening, Brooklyn is hip, Queens is diverse, the Bronx is rich in culture, and Staten Island is spacious. Don’t believe what everyone says about stereotypes, and find out for yourself!
You can always start by traveling the different neighborhoods within your borough. Hells Kitchen, Midtown, and East Village are all very different parts of Manhattan whereas Long Island City and Ridgewood are very different parts of Queens. Want to be more adventurous? Take a weekend to go to Upstate New York and see if you can find your scene there.
Do the typical tourist activities
Trust me, you’ve got to be a tourist first to be a real New Yorker. Take yourself to a Broadway show in Time Square, visit Coney Island and get Nathan’s hot dog, go down to Wall Street and take a picture with the iconic Charging Bull, walk the Brooklyn Bridge all the way. Get to know the city, and you’ll fall in love with it. The crowds, cramped trains, and busy streets included.
Live at Common
Finding your scene in a new city doesn’t have to be hard at all. Moving into Common, you’ve got your own private space, suitemates to explore the city with, and tons of opportunities to find your scene in the city.
At Common’s coliving homes in New York City, your rent covers your fully furnished space, free laundry, free weekly cleaning, free events around the city, and exclusive discounts at incredible brands. Take a free tour of our New York homes today.