A young woman who moved to New York City six years ago used TikTok to share her top 10 things you should never do in the Big Apple.
Sarah Hodgson, a content creator, first moved to the city in 2018 to study at NYU.
Since then, she has built a significant following on TikTok by sharing tips and tricks for making the most of the New York lifestyle.
“I made ALL these mistakes so you don’t have to,” she captioned the post shared in early February.
Sarah Hodgson moved to New York City in 2018 to attend NYU
First on her top 10 things: Don’t approach the rested “characters” of Times Square
She further suggested using the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty – rather than spending money for a more up-close boat ride
Sarah has built a significant social media following by sharing tips and tricks on how to live in New York
First of all, never approach any of the suited “characters” in Times Square.
“They are notorious for theft and even kidnapping attempts,” Sarah claimed.
Second, don’t pay for boat tours “unless Ellis Island has personal meaning to you,” she suggested.
Instead, “see the Statue of Liberty for free on the Staten Island Ferry.”
If you come in third, you don’t have to be “afraid” to take the subway because Ubers are “so expensive” and “and as long as you’re vigilant, you’ll be fine,” Sarah added.
Fourth, there was another obvious point: Sarah instructed her viewers not to “get on the express train if you really have to take a local (train).”
“I’ve done it thousands of times,” she admitted.
Sarah then advised people not to wear heels on a heavy walking day.
She urged newcomers not to fear the subway, and rather just be “vigilant” while riding
Another common mistake she admitted was taking the express train when she should have been on the local train
For days with a lot of walking, Sarah advised her viewers to skip the heels
To avoid conflict, Sarah shared how she realized that you shouldn’t ‘stare’ at people who seemed ‘deviant’ or ‘aggressive’
There are countless other restaurants in NYC besides the one in Times Square
Using Uber during rush hour takes twice as long as the subway and is also much more expensive, she said
She’s discovered that blocking the sidewalk is a great way to annoy people
It is common etiquette to always let others out before entering areas such as elevators and subways, she emphasized.
“You may look glamorous, but the pain is never worth the photo.”
Sixth, don’t “stare” at people who look “a little strange or aggressive.”
“The best thing you can do most of the time is look straight ahead and mind your business,” she said.
Seventh: ‘Never visit the chain restaurants in Times Square. There are so many better and affordable places that deserve your money.’
Eighth, “Don’t use Uber during rush hour.”
‘It is more expensive. It will take twice as long. Just train,” she urged.
Ninth: Never stop in the middle of a sidewalk. You’re being yelled at.’
And last but not least: never ‘walk in somewhere before letting people out’.
“This applies to doorways, elevators and especially subways,” Sarah explains.
Sharing so-called viral tips about living in New York City has long been popular on TikTok.
Last fall, creator Gwyneth Yuma highlighted her top recommendations for short visits to the city, DailyMail.com reported.