I’ve been living in the city for about two months now, and I’ve learned a lot. If you don’t live in the city and are wondering what it’s like, look no further. I will explain all the pros and cons of living in the city as a 20-year-old college student.

PROS

I love that I don’t have to drive. I could if I wanted to, but I don’t know who would. It’s stressful, and the risk of car damage is extremely high in the city. Also, why drive when I have the ability to walk pretty much anywhere? However, I usually take the subway because my shoes are almost always not walking shoes. Although many believe the subway is gross, it is cost efficient. New Yorkers can travel anywhere in the city for only $2.75. And for times when walking and the subway are insufficient, there is always the option of a taxi, an Uber, a rick shaw, a bus, or even renting a Citi bike.

NYC is the home to many television networks. There is always a live taping going on. "SNL" is filmed at Rockefeller Plaza. So is "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," and I live right next door to "The Rachael Ray Show" studio.

This city is also hotspot for celebrities. I saw the Beckhams within my first month of living here.

One of the perks of attending The Fashion Institute of Technology is that they offer discounted Broadway tickets to students. There are local, cheaper theaters that are almost always just as fun as Broadway.

There are LOTS of museums, like the MET, MoMa, Guggenheim, and there’s even The Museum of Sex. Going to a fashion/art school, you could say we like to take advantage of having these in our “backyard.” Most museums offer students discounts, which is amazing, considering we are often sent to them in order to complete assignments.

Concert possibilities are endless. Whether it be at Madison Square Garden, a little bar down the street, or on the train, there’s always musical entertainment. With that said, you can never get bored here.

My personal favorite thing about New York City is definitely the food. I was hands down more excited for all the great food in the area than I was for the fashion. New York has a great selection of cultural foods, delis, restaurants, and bakeries. Oh, and there’s Smorgasburg, which is a food festival (that happens every weekend from April to November in Brooklyn) with the famous ramen burger. I know people who have waited 1.5 hrs for one of these. Need I say more?

CONS

The first negative about the city is that it can get extremely expensive. Remember when I mentioned the discounts we get for Broadway shows and museums? Yeah, well, it still costs money. I really have to watch my spending; at the beginning of the year I used to think I was finding all the bargains, which led me to actually spend more.

New York City smells. It smells like urine, garbage, and overly burnt food. When I go home, I appreciate the clean air almost more than I appreciate my mom's cooking.

I have come to realize that the rain and the city are not a good combination. I have battled with all the other New Yorkers in the umbrella wars on the street. I have dodged multiple puddles, probably cutting people off in the process, and attempted to close my umbrella while frantically running through crowds down the steps to the subway.

There is little to no nightlife for the under-21 crowd. There are some parties catered to college students under-age but, like nightlife in general, it gets expensive.

Watch out for the days your main subway line is running on a different schedule. The amount of times I’ve gotten on a train that's not making local stops because of the changes in schedule is slightly embarrassing.

There is a serious lack of quiet and personal space. I miss having personal space when I’m walking down the street and having undisturbed silence to think. New Yorkers are pretty much always surrounded by people -- if you think the sidewalks are bad, then you have not experienced the subways during rush hour. We are also surrounded by people at home, too. Whether in a dorm or in an apartment, we are living with someone because either the school demands that we do, or we simply need to pay the rent, which is not a one person job in NYC.

New York obviously has its pros and cons, but overall I am thrilled that I chose to study in a city rich in culture and opportunities. I have met so many amazing people from different schools at social events, have had some amazing experiences, and have had several celebrity sightings all within the short amount of time I have been here.

This city is in the process of teaching me two great things: one being how to really pinch my pennies, and the other being to genuinely appreciate what I have. It has been made evident to me here more than anywhere else that I am extremely lucky to have the opportunities I've been given, and I plan to take advantage of the opportunities New York provides me.