I moved from a town of 8,000 people to New York City — here are 9 things I do and don’t miss about small-town life

Erin McDowell/Business Insider/Artem Vorobiev/Getty Images

Moving from a small town in Connecticut to New York City came with its challenges.
I soon began to realize that there were things I really missed (and didn’t miss at all) about small-town life.
Here are 9 things I do and don’t miss about living in a small town, compared to living in New York City.
Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

After growing up in the rural town of Woodstock, Connecticut, where the population is approximately 8,000 people, I admittedly couldn’t wait to move to New York City, the most populous city in the country. I looked forward to everything living in a big city has to offer in the realm of food, entertainment, nightlife, job prospects, and more.

Moving from a town of 8,000 people to a city of 8 million residents did, however, come with its challenges.

I soon realized that there were certain things I missed about small-town life — and other things that made me never want to go back.

Here are 9 things I do and don’t miss about small-town life after moving to New York City.

I miss not having to rely on public transportation or Uber

Comstock Images/Getty Images

If there’s one thing I miss about small-town life, it’s the simple luxury of walking out your front door, getting into your car, and driving to your destination. Once you’re done, just hop back in and be back at your front door in no time.

In New York City, going anywhere more than a mile away can be an operation. Grocery shopping, especially, has proven extremely inconvenient. When I lived in a small town, I simply parked right in front of the grocery store and only had to carry my bags to and from my car. In New York, I have to carry my heavy grocery bags multiple blocks to the subway, and then even further from the subway stop up to my third-floor apartment.

When doing my weekly shop, I have to take into account whether I can lug multiple heavy items like pasta sauce or milk gallons back with me, or if I’ll have to split it into separate trips. Oftentimes, I’m restricted to two or three grocery bags — in the country, I could fill my car with bags and have no worries at all, knowing I could make multiple trips to and from my car if I needed to.

I don’t miss not being able to walk anywhere

Kike Calvo/AP

One upside of living in a bustling city like New York is that a lot of what you need is right outside your door. Delis, bodegas, convenience stores, coffee shops, and more are oftentimes never more than a block or two away.

When I lived in a small town, the nearest Dunkin’ or McDonald’s was at least a 20-minute drive away. You could roughly drive halfway across Manhattan in that same time span, and pass probably hundreds of McDonald’s and coffee shops.

I miss everything being so much less expensive

Flickr/Tim Pierce

It’s true what they say — living in New York City can be extremely expensive. Restaurants are noticeably more expensive than the ones back home, and don’t even get me started on the housing market. However, I’ve found ways to cut corners that can save me money on food and rent.

Living with multiple roommates and taking advantage of New York City’s cheap eats will save you money while living in one of the most expensive cities in the country.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Erin McDowell)