A young woman who moved to New York City six years ago took to TikTok to share her ‘Top 10 Things You Should Never Do’ in the Big Apple.
Content creator Sarah Hodgson first moved to the city in 2018 to start college at New York University.
Since then, she has built a considerable following on TikTok by sharing tips and tricks for making the most of the New York lifestyle.
“I made ALL these mistakes so you don’t have to,” she captioned the post shared in early February.
Sarah Hodgson moved to New York City to start college at NYU in 2018
First on His Top 10 Things: Don’t Go Near Times Square’s Dressed ‘Characters’
Additionally, he suggested using the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, rather than shelling out cash for a closer boat tour.
Sarah has built a sizeable social network after sharing tips and tricks on living in New York.
First: never approach any of the suited ‘characters’ in Times Square.
“They are famous for their robberies and even attempted kidnappings,” Sarah said.
Second, don’t pay for boat tours “unless Ellis Island has personal meaning to you,” he suggested.
Instead, “see the Statue (of Liberty) for free on the Staten Island Ferry.”
Getting to third place means not being “afraid” to take the subway, since Ubers are “very expensive” and “as long as you’re attentive everything will be fine,” Sarah added.
The fourth was another obvious point: Sarah instructed her viewers to “not get on the express train when you really need to take a local (train).”
“I’ve done it thousands of times,” he admitted.
Next, Sarah advised people not to wear heels on a day of intense walking.
He urged newcomers not to fear the subway and to be “vigilant” when traveling.
Another common mistake he admitted to making was taking the express train when he should have taken the local train.
During days when we walked a lot, Sarah recommended her viewers skip the heels.
To avoid conflict, Sarah shared how she had realized not to “stare” at people who seemed “subdued” or “aggressive.”
There are many other restaurants in New York besides those in Times Square.
Using Uber during rush hour takes twice as long as the subway, in addition to being much more expensive, he shared.
Blocking the sidewalk is a great way to irritate people, he discovered.
It is common sense etiquette to always let others out before getting into spaces like elevators and subway cars, he emphasized.
“You may look glamorous, but the pain is never worth it.”
Sixth: Don’t “stare” at people who seem “a little weird or aggressive.”
“The best thing to do most of the time is to look ahead and mind your business,” he said.
Seventh: ‘Never visit the chain restaurants in Times Square. There are many better and also affordable places that are worth your money.’
Eighth: Don’t “use Uber during rush hour.”
‘It is more expensive. It will take twice as long. He just trains,’ he urged.
Ninth: Never stop in the middle of a sidewalk. They will yell at you.
And last but not least: never “enter somewhere first before letting people out.”
“This applies to doors, elevators, and especially subway cars,” Sarah elaborated.
Sharing potentially viral tips about life in New York City has long been popular on TikTok.
Last fall, creator Gwyneth Yuma highlighted her top recommendations for short-term visits to the city, DailyMail.com reported.