Blog 4

New York was surprisingly easy to get used too. Things that seemed so weird at first, like being able to walk everywhere you wanted to go, the dollar pizza on every corner becoming a primary food group, and celebrity stalking after classes quickly became part of the regular routine. Many things were really just variations of the things I went through everyday living in Northern Virginia, like riding in a car versus riding on the subway.

Traffic is at its worst in the morning when people are going to work, and in the evening when people are coming home from work. The subways are also jammed with people at these times, and the trains run every four minutes instead of every 7 during peak times. You would think that it would be much easier to ride the subway during rush hour than sit on 95 for two hours every morning. Think again. You will never appreciate sitting in a nice air conditioned cars staring into the abyss of headlights in front of you until you ride the subway at 5pm every day and are crammed in the cars like sardines with your nose pressed into someone’s back. Not to mention, when you are in your car, the worst thing you have to smell is some leftover McDonald’s breakfast wraps or possibly a skunk. On the subway you get up close and personal with everyone whose deodorant wore off at some point during the day. I actually came home and was thankful to sit in traffic. It’s funny the things you come to appreciate.

Another similarity between riding in a car and riding on the subway is the creepers. You know, sometimes when you’re riding in your car and you stop at a light, you look over and a creepy guy is leering at you looking for an excuse to talk to you. When these things happen you just turn your music up, roll up the window, and keep your eyes straight ahead until the light changes and you can peel out. However, you do not have this luxury on the subway. When a creepy guy comes and sits next to you and tells you he came to America looking for a wife, you do not have the luxury of rolling up your window. This is where pepper spray comes in handy. So the next time you’re stuck in traffic and the guy in the car next to you is bordering on sexual harassment. Be thankful.