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By Time Out contributors, edited by Sophie Harris
Some people think you can determine whether people are real New Yorkers by the amount of time they've lived here. We say: It ain't necessarily so. Certain traits and behaviors are unique to a true Gothamite—and unless you were born here, chances are you've had a little epiphany when you realized that this is now something you do. Like your ability to distinguish an awesome affordable apartment from a hell-pit real estate scam, your incredible skills at walking/talking/eating at the same time and your secret stash of NYC life hacks. So without further ado—and like 'em or not—here are the things that make you realize you're a New Yorker.
1. You’ve cried in the street.
2. You have a favorite egg and cheese near home and near work.
3. You know when museums are free—and which are by donation.
4. You want to hurry people along when you're out of town. Argh, the frustration!
5. You tip only when the coffee is good.
6. On the subway, you don’t hesitate to ask—nay, demand!—that someone move his bag off a seat so you can sit.
7. You cross the street Frogger style, paying no attention to whether you actually have the WALK sign.
8. You give taxi drivers directions.
9. You've walked down the street yakking into your smartphone headphones to talk your best friend out of a crisis/negotiate a business deal/give a yoga class. While drinking iced coffee.
10. You don’t think twice about asking the guy at your neighborhood bodega to get that box of cereal off the top shelf for you.
11. You don't gawp when you see David Byrne riding around on his bicycle.
12. Actually, you don't gawp at anything. Pretty much...
13. You have a favorite spot in Prospect Park and find it annoying when someone else is sitting there.
14. You audibly groan when you hear the words:"It's showtime!"
15. You have zero qualms about using the bathroom in a restaurant or store without purchasing something. You pay enough just to live here, dammit!
16. You hear yourself complaining about how much your neighborhood has changed since you moved there.
17. You correct people about where neighborhoods start and end. (No, if it’s above Houston, that’s technically the East Village. Off the Classon G stop? That’s Bed-Stuy, my friend.)
18. You complain about an article about Los Angeles as much as you complain about Los Angeles.
19. You understand that group birthday dinners are an abomination that should be stopped. Pick a bar, people.
20. You're unfazed by disgusting bathrooms at bars and restaurants.
21. You can spot a real estate euphemism a mile away. If it has the word "cozy," it's a closet.
22. You know who Robert Moses is and have an opinion about him.
23. You travel everywhere at a brisk walk. You have places to be! Visiting other cities where this is not the case makes you anxious.
24. You have the attitude to match your shades.
