The Big Apple Takes on Bean Town

I grew up 45 minutes outside of New York City. My dad has commuted to the city every day for over 20 years. I’ve seen countless Broadway shows, concerts and sporting events at The Garden (like my family says, there is only one) and have spent a ridiculous amount of money at shops and restaurants and Grand Central bagel stores. Now, somehow, I find myself living in and falling in love with a new city: Boston. 

Also, I find myself slowing joining the dark side of the Boston-New York sports rivalry. Sorry, dad. 

However, other NY to BU transplants have had different experiences. 

Sophomore and New York City native Olivia Lake’s first impression of Boston was “that it felt like a small town compared to home,” and she remembers telling her mom “it seemed like downtown New York but on Xanax.” 

“I think the main difference is that you can breathe in Boston,” said Lake. “It is still a fast paced city but nothing compares to how insane New York can be. It’s a very ‘every man for himself’ vibe. No one will slow down for anything, which can be hard to adapt to if you aren’t used to it.” 

That was one of the things I liked about Boston at first glance: how it was much more navigable and smaller than New York. It’s not as overwhelmingly busy. 

In terms of which city is better, however, is a completely different question and honestly one that I’m not positive I could answer. 

On one hand, Boston is so storybook to me. There is nothing like running along the Charles in the fall with the change of foliage. Not to mention, the buildings and the history are phenomenal; also, I walked by Joe Manganiello. 

But, there is nothing like New York. I love how it feels comfortable and unfamiliar at the same time and how there is always some sort of chaos going on. It truly is the city that never sleeps. 

Boston, however, sleeps. That’s one thing Jeff Bloom, BU sophomore and another New York resident, dislikes about Bean Town. 

For Bloom, Boston is more confusing than New York’s grid system. I, for one, have never—and will never—figure out how to navigate New York City without a map on my phone; which, almost always, takes me in the wrong direction. 

Which would you rather live in is another difficult question considering both cities are great for different things. Boston is so young and filled with college students, whereas I think of New York City as the place of the working man or woman. 

Abby Donatelli, a sophomore transfer student from Fordham, realized a few things during her year there. 

“I think, for me, going to school in New York for a year was fantastic and made me realize I wanted to live there,” said Donatelli. “However, I realized New York wasn’t a great place for college kids. It’s a lot.” 

According to a Boston Globe article and an analysis done by Redfin, 34 percent of Manhattan residents were searching different areas to move to—the most-searched city being Boston. 

“Boston is right for me now, but New York will be good for me long term,” Donatelli said. 

Interestingly enough, Lake feels the opposite. 

“I think I would live my twenties in New York and settle down in Boston when I got older,” said Lake. “Boston has a charm and a sense of safety that New York lacks and that I would want when I have a family of my own.” 

At the end of the day, although I miss it, the noise in New York needs a remote control and I am seriously bagel deprived. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *