Writing Prompt: Make It Anywhere
“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere,” goes the famous song about New York City. Is there a place — a city, a school, a company — about which you think (or thought) the same? Tell us why, and if you ever tried to prove that claim.
I lived in New York for more than 33 years near the border of Mount Vernon and New Rochelle. I worked in Manhattan for several years before moving to The Poconos in Pennsylvania, which was still only about 90 minutes from Manhattan. Surviving New York takes guts. The cost of living is one of the highest in the country, if not the highest. While the pay is higher than almost every state in the Union, the rent, mortgage, gas, food, etc., suck up the seemingly generous New York salaries. I believe that if you can survive New York, anywhere else in the United States is a breeze. The only other bit of competition I could imagine would be the two big cities in California—Los Angeles and San Diego. San Francisco might join the duo, but I’ve never lived in those places, so don’t really know for sure if the cost of living is as high as in New York.
Those who have never lived in New York and think surviving is difficult where they are, I’d suggest spending one year in New York and let me know what you think. There were times when I wasn’t sure how I would make it there. These days, I’d rather live anywhere except New York. I love to visit, but never again to live.