Here's a quick guide to leaving your past behind (or nearly so) and making a Brooklyn reservation. Well, not exactly. This article describes how to move to Manhattan.
Steps
Step 1. Read and research topics of interest about the city
There are many resources that will help you understand New York's cultural background, geography and resources, as well as information about the infrastructure and things the city has to offer.
Step 2. Visit the city
If you've never been to NY you can't move right away. Make friends and let them guide you around the city in everyday life. You can find accommodation for 2-3 days on Couchsurfing or on AirBnB, at a lower price than hotels, and with the possibility of speaking with someone locally.
Step 3. Save a lot of money
Aim for a sofa or two to lean on while looking for an apartment. Take a bus, a plane or a car - all that is needed to get here. Bring a friend if you want, but it is better not to.
Step 4. Choose a neighborhood
You can do a lot of research on the different areas of the city before going there. This will greatly narrow your search on craigslist.
Step 5. Scour the Craigslist site
Don't ignore sublets. In the meantime, get a job. Take whatever. But make it great. You will meet people, so you must have an apartment. Don't look at the ads, fantasizing about your ideal apartment. Get out of this pattern, call the people, and put your foot on the accelerator.
Step 6. You have a job and an apartment
If you are currently not at a point in your life where you believe this is your future, perhaps reconsider relocating, but this is a city where you acquire a lot of skills you didn't think you had, so it will be good for you. Anything can happen, and it often does. Keep your attitude calm and open.
Step 7. Enjoy it
You will lose your old friends who will say they want to visit you, but they never do. You will make new friends to replace them, but keep in touch with the ones that mean a lot to you. Some of them may be moving here. And try to remember that life exists outside of New York. (This can actually be tough.)
Advice
- This article is about moving to Manhattan; there are 4 other distinct New York boroughs: Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. The lifestyle is distinct in each of the 5 neighborhoods.
- Patience and perseverance are the key to finding a great apartment in New York.
- Research the neighborhood that best suits your lifestyle and personality. They are all distinct.