How to NYC, Lesson 3: Non-Subway Forms of Public Transportation

A Working Guide to Touring / Transplanting to New York from a Midwesterner’s Perspective
When I first moved to New York a few months ago, I was totally overwhelmed and terrified for several days. Having come from a very rural background, I had no idea of what to expect. I’d done my best to do as much research as possible to prepare myself, but none of those materials could have truly prepared me for the experiences and challenges I would face.

So I’ve written this little series, How to NYC, with my fellow Midwesterners in mind. For those of you who have never traveled to a big city beyond Minneapolis or Chicago before (that’s okay!), who have never used a public transportation system before, and who have never not experienced Minnesota Nice, this is for you. (And for those of you who haven’t ever experienced Minnesota Nice, I see a pleasant trip in your near future…)

Lesson 3: THE COMMUTE
can be a serious pain the rear when you're so used to simply hopping in a car and getting to where you need to be. Learning to get around was also the thing that freaked me out the most when I first landed, but it's actually pretty easy, as long as you keep a few things in mind.

Cabs
I don't have a lot of experience with cabs, but here's a few things I do know:

• Be patient with your driver. After all, he's getting you to where you need to be.
• With the above now stated, you do have the right (legally) to be comfortable. That means you can ask for air or heat, no radio, window down, whatever (within reason).
• Credit card machines are in all (I think) of the yellow cabs now, so it makes paying and tipping very easy. 
• The cc machines give tip percentage options - I think the lowest is like 18 - 20%. I've read that 15% is enough, maybe adding an extra $1 or $2 for helping with bags.
• "Gypsy cabs" are unmarked town cars that drive around and honk at you when you stand on a street corner waiting for the light to change. I think they're shady - they only accept cash and I've been told they don't know much about the areas outside of wherever they pick you up from. I recommend sticking with the yellow cabs.

Buses

idk. Just...idk. 

Here's what I actually know about buses:

• They rarely seem to be on time.
• If the bus is not within eyesight of the bus stop, you could probably walk to your destination faster.
• Buses have the same fare as subways - $2.50 per trip.

Walking (my favorite one!)

• Wear walking shoes (duh). At the very least, if you're wanting to look nice, wear sandals. People who wear heels regularly must have a screw loose.
• You will soon come to realize that you have to carry everything with you because you don't have a car to leave it in. You will feel like a pack mule.
• Carry an umbrella, even if it's sunny outside. People will make fun of you until it starts to rain.
• If you wear headphones / earbuds, people are less likely to stop you and ask for directions / change. 
• On that note, don't be afraid to ask for directions. People are generally very happy to give directions if it's a neighborhood they know well.
• Unless you've got a lot of time on your hands, don't stop for people wearing organization-specific tees holding clipboards. They are not going to ask you for directions.

How to NYC, Lesson 2: Subways

A Working Guide to Touring / Transplanting to New York from a Midwesterner’s Perspective
When I first moved to New York a few months ago, I was totally overwhelmed and terrified for several days. Having come from a very rural background, I had no idea of what to expect. I’d done my best to do as much research as possible to prepare myself, but none of those materials could have truly prepared me for the experiences and challenges I would face.

So I’ve written this little series, How to NYC, with my fellow Midwesterners in mind. For those of you who have never traveled to a big city beyond Minneapolis or Chicago before (that’s okay!), who have never used a public transportation system before, and who have never not experienced Minnesota Nice, this is for you. (And for those of you who haven’t ever experienced Minnesota Nice, I see a pleasant trip in your near future…)

Lesson 2: THE COMMUTE
can be a serious pain the rear when you're so used to simply hopping in a car and getting to where you need to be. Learning to get around was also the thing that freaked me out the most when I first landed, but it's actually pretty easy, as long as you keep a few things in mind.

The Subway
The subway gets its own lesson, since it's the most (in my eyes) complex form of transportation for those that have never used it before. But maybe I'm just simple.

• Navigating the subway system is like reading and following signs on the interstate - you just have to know where you want to end up.
• Use mta.info's Trip Planner tool (not Google Maps) to figure out how you're going to get from Point A to Point B. It's also not a bad idea to download the subway map or subway-related apps to your phone. 
• Know if you need to head Uptown or Downtown (in Manhattan), or toward Queens, Brooklyn, or the Bronx. 
• Pay attention to how the stations are labeled before you descend into the deep, dark unknown. Sometimes, you can't always cross over to the appropriate platform once you're down in the tube.
• Some trains are express trains (they skip some stops) and some are local (they stop at all stops). When in doubt, wait for a local train.
• Nights and weekends are filled with rail construction and maintenance, which causes delays and some trains don't even run.
• Again, use mta.info. Their Trip Planner tool factors in planned schedule and route changes. There are also some phone apps out there that can help you with this too.
• All planned changes are also posted in several places in every station, next to the big subway map. They can be very confusing - read carefully!
• Fares / Metrocards
• Unless you are old or have a disability, fares are $2.50 per trip (same for buses). This means that if you have to transfer trains at some point in your journey, as long as you don't exit the station through the turn-style thingys, you will only pay that $2.50 once.
• One 30-day unlimited ride Metrocard is $112. So, if you take the subway (or buses) 11 - 12 times or more per week, you're getting your money's worth (and then some). Same math applies for the 7-day unlimited cards, which are $30.
• When inside the car:
• Minnesota Nice is applicable here. If you're sitting, offer your seat to someone who is elderly, pregnant, disabled, etc. if they are standing. 
• During "peak" (rush) hours, try to make yourself as compact as possible. If you're flying into town with several bags and plan to take public transit to get to where you're staying, consider a flight that lands in the early early morning, middle of the day, or evening, if possible.
• When standing, I find it easiest to stand facing the ends of the train. This way, your body sways with the train and not against it.
• Don't try to be the cool kid that doesn't hang onto the pole while the train's moving. You will fall, and you will no longer be the cool kid. 
• Other general rules of thumb:
• If you have to be somewhere by a certain time, add at least 10 minutes to your planned travel time.
• Except sometimes during peak hours, trains don't wait long. Get there on time or be ready to wait a while for the next one.
• When riding late at night, try to get in the first car, as this is the driver's car. At night, there are generally more people in this car, and there's always at least one person (the driver), so you're less apt to get mugged or whatever. You can also try to do this with the conductor's car (usually the middle one), but it's harder to find when you're in a hurry.
• If possible, avoid the stupid freakin' G train. It is never on time.

How to NYC, Lesson 1 (UPDATED)

A Working Guide to Touring / Transplanting to New York from a Midwesterner’s Perspective
When I first moved to New York a few months ago, I was totally overwhelmed and terrified for several days. Having come from a very rural background, I had no idea of what to expect. I’d done my best to do as much research as possible to prepare myself, but none of those materials could have truly prepared me for the experiences and challenges I would face.

So I’ve written this little series, How to NYC, with my fellow Midwesterners in mind. For those of you who have never traveled to a big city beyond Minneapolis or Chicago before (that’s okay!), who have never used a public transportation system before, and who have never not experienced Minnesota Nice, this is for you. (And for those of you who haven’t ever experienced Minnesota Nice, I see a pleasant trip in your near future…)

Lesson 1: Common Myths and Misperceptions

Many of the people I talked to "back home" before moving to New York seemed to carry a lot of the same (usually) untrue beliefs about the Big Apple. I'd to discuss a few of them here:

• Crime rates are outrageous and you will die. Clearly not true, since I am still here to grace you with my unending blabber. As is true of most everywhere, you need to stay alert and keep your wits about you, and there are some areas it's wise to stay away from, but there's no need to be paranoid. Most everyone is here to make an honest living for themselves, and no one wants to harm you anymore than they want to be harmed. 
• Everything is too expensive. Not necessarily true. While there are definitely many incredulously expensive places to shop, wine, and dine around here, there are also just as many places to find a super cheap bite or affordable clothes. You may have to look a little harder for them, but they're there (and they're usually more fun!).
• The people are rude. Just because they're ignoring your presence doesn't mean they are rude. Most residents of New York are in a rush, and don't have time to look up and smile at every stranger they meet. But if you were to ask one for directions or for suggestions on a good place to eat, most all will happily point you the right way.
• The city will eat you up and spit you out. This can be true, but only if you let it. If you're moving here looking for opportunities, know that they are endless, but you've got to work your ass off to find them. 

This is a small start of a list that will continue to grow as I encounter more busted myths. Stay tuned for more lessons to come!

Ironic update: Since this post was written and scheduled to be posted, my purse was stolen right from underneath my nose. No, I was not mugged, nor was my purse snatched from my hands. I just wasn't paying as close attention to it as I should have been. While I still believe that crime in New York is often exaggerated, it's been a good (hard) reminder to me to keep my belongings close to me at all times!

Cleaning House

With the release of Facebook's Graph Search comes the inspiration to raid my own photos, posts, and notes and delete anything that I feel is too embarrassing, mildly unflattering, giving away too much info, or a combination of all three.

In recent years, I've been posting less and less photos as time goes on. I stick to my one or two favored profile photos, change up my cover photo every now and then, and really only upload many photos during milestone events and occasions. I've also been a lot better about keeping professors, family, and potential employers in mind when posting.

But because I was 16 once, I have some pretty stupid and embarrassing photos and posts smattering Facebook (and the rest of the WWW). When I scroll through my albums and get to these postings, I always hesitate before I hit the delete button.

How would an employer who is considering me seriously enough to snoop through my Facebook page view me?

Would they consider the fact that many of my pictures are me in costume for a play, or being active at another extracurricular - showing that I like to get involved during my free time? Or would they see me in those photos, dolled up in too much make-up, and think I look like a nightly street-walker?

Would they see the pictures of me just being silly with people and assume there had to be alcohol or drugs involved? Or that I don't take things seriously?

Would they notice my consistent general lack of selfies and beer pong poses throughout the years?

Would they see the few pictures of me with a beer at the table (like my pictures from Germany, where a beer at the table is required) and think I party too much?

Most importantly, would they see that I've grown? ("Grown" as in evolved, of course, because we can all clearly see that I haven't grown an inch since the 5th grade.) I'd like to think they would.

One of the few really nice things about Timeline is that all of one's pictures can now easily be viewed in chronological order: Scroll down to the beginning, and work your way back up. This way, I think it's easy enough to see how one has started since their time on Facebook, and how they've changed (hopefully for the better).

With that said, I'm really hoping employers are looking at my Facebook and seeing the too fuzzy or too crunchy hair (I just could not find a happy medium) and the raccoon eyeliner with the funny friends and the silly poses, and then taking the time to scroll up. The friends are still funny and the poses still silly, but my viewpoints have changed (for the better, I think), and that is reflected in both my photos and posts.

Some Things I Think I'm Learning (About Resumes)

I'm no expert on the topic of resumes, but I think I'm beginning to get at least a few things figured out. I've been spending a lot of my time lately writing resumes and cover letters while applying for internships (and now big girl jobs). To be honest, few of the apps and resumes I sent out while applying for internships received responses, and I think I'm beginning to figure out why...

• When inquiring, don't include a resume in the email - wait until you're given the OK. Someone told me once that an email with an attachment from a new email address may be apt to end up in the junk mail folder.
• As much as I dislike it, using my full name may get me more attention than my preferred name. "Samantha" sounds much more professional and mature than "Sammi."
• Beef up your resume (duh). Don't just say things like "I answered phones" or "I hung up posters and did social media." Incorporate important skills like "handled phone conversations while simultaneously maintaining other tasks" and "led fellow team members in social media campaigns."
• Save your finished resumes and cover letters as PDFs. This is a simple piece that I skipped out on a lot when applying for internships, and I really regret it. I use a font (different from Arial or Times New Roman) that is unique yet easy to read, but it probably didn't always translate well to someone else's computer. Making a PDF and previewing it before sending ensures that the hiring manager will see what you want them to see.
• Keep it simple. Include what's important, but only include what the person viewing your resume will actually care about.

So that's what I think I know. If you happen to be an employer / hiring manager reading this, please let me know if I'm on the right track, or if there's anything I need to add to or subtract from my little list.

NYC Cred

I'm sure everyone already knew / assumed this, but New York has been deemed the most competitive city in the world.

But believe it or not, it's also one of the nicest.

I've lived here for 4 whole whopping days, and I can already tell you how much more open-minded and friendly most New Yorkers are, even compared to "Minnesota Nice."

Need directions to the nearest C train stop? Sure, just another two blocks down.

Sorry I'm taking up all the space in this teeny-tiny grocery store aisle, as I'm reaching for the item I need on the very top shelf. No problem, honey, take your time.

It's pouring, and we drove here. Can I take you to your nearest train stop?

You sure are a pretty-lookin' lady. Um... Thanks sir. So are you?

Okay, so maybe some New Yorkers are a little too nice (quirky), but you get the idea.

To top it off, New York is actually a pretty safe city, too. Sure, you still need to stay alert and keep a close eye on your belongings, and there are certain areas you just plain avoid (like any city). But the dated 1980's notion that everyone walking down the street wants to take you, rape you, and murder you died with disco a long time ago. (We don't miss the rape, but we do miss the disco.)

So if you're fearing visiting or even moving to the city because of friendliness or safety concerns, just give it a shot. Have an adventure :)

My Social Media No-No's

I'm about due for a little rant session. Please don't mind me as I stick my nose in the air for a few moments and rant about some things I see happening (that shouldn't be) on various social media platforms.

1. Unrelated Commenting on Statuses / Photos / Links / Etc.
When one makes a particular post about something (usually on Facebook), I see many people making comments unrelated to the post like "OMG, i havent seen you in 4eva, how u been?" or "Do you remember where I left my keys?". Not only are these comments a distraction from the topic at hand, but the person making these comments is now forcing everyone else who has already commented to read what they are saying, via notifications. Please, be respectful of other users and save these types of comments for a wall post or private message.

Which leads me to my next point...
2. Don't Kill a Thread
This one is near and dear to my heart, since there are several people who I am very close to in the real world who LOVE to do this to me in the virtual world. I'm not funny very often, but when people actually catch on to what I'm saying and continue a fun thread, please don't be that guy. Don't be the person who kills the thread by saying "I don't get it" or "[insert unrelated comment in reference to rule #1 here]" or "actually, the rate at which a hamburger would hit the wall would be defined by the force it was thrown x the velocity of the burger x gravity." Whatever.

3. aLtErNaTiNg UpPeR / LoWeRcAsE lEtTeRs
We are not in 5th grade anymore, and this isn't MSN Messenger. Stop it.

ALSO, TYPING IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS JUST MAKES IT SEEM LIKE ONE IS YELLING AT EVERYONE ALL THE TIME, AND THEY ARE KILLING THE ACTUAL INTENT OF EMPHASIS FOR EVERYONE ELSE. IF YOU CAN'T SEE VERY WELL, CHANGE THE DEFAULT TEXT SIZE IN YOUR BROWSER.

4. Grammar Policing
I am a proud Grammar Nazi, but there's a time and a place. Don't ruin someone's fun and/or interesting post just to inform them they spelled something wrong, or used the wrong form of "there/their/they're." DON'T post a grammatical correction when that's the only thing you have to say. At the very most, privately message them if it bothers you so badly, but don't make both you and the writer look bad.

5. Leave Hashtags Where They Belong
This is one that I've heard from a couple social media gurus, but it's not necessarily one I care about a whole lot. Regardless, the concept of hashtags are essentially a Twitter invention used to create a metadata tag, and is part of what makes Twitter unique. On the other hand, because cross-posting has become so simple 1) since all platforms have become connected and 2) with the use of applications like Hootsuite, it's hard not to end up with hashtags here and there across mediums. Just bear in mind that the use of hashtags is intended for sites like Twitter and Instagram, and the use of them elsewhere may annoy some other users (including text messages. Just. GAHHHHH).

6. Don't Respond Poorly to Negative Feedback
Unfortunately, it happens. There's always someone who doesn't like anything, and if you're going to be posting about a heated topic, brace yourself for some angry slapback. Take the high road by ignoring the comment or responding intelligently; a simple "F U" doesn't support your case, and can make you look like a prick. On a related note, post positively and intelligently on others' posts that differ from your own opinion, and ignore the opinionated (often political) posts that are written out of sheer anger.

And finally, most importantly...
7. If You Don't Want Something to Exist on the Internet, Don't Post it in the First Place!
The ease of sharing photos on nearly every social media platform has made it really easy for people (mostly high school and college students) to post some really stupid stuff. Once something is on the Internet, it's there for good - no matter how quickly it is taken down (just ask Justin Bieber about this - he is a professional at "oops! Shouldna posted that!" posting). For the love of everything that is holy, DON'T post incriminating pictures of yourself passed out in your friends' front yard last Saturday night, or rudely vent about a specific person / business in a way you may come to regret later (words can come back to haunt you!).

So in a nutshell, those are a few of the biggest things I see that annoy me on social media platforms. What about you - what are some things you see, but wish you didn't have to?

Answers to My Struggles

I've been struggling a lot lately (with all of my blogs) to come up with relevant and interesting content to blog about. Fortunately, while cruising through my Twitter feed this morning, I bumped into a wonderful answer to my problems.

How to Use Keyword Tools to Brainstorm Blog Topics

I know what I'll be doing this afternoon!

Using LinkedIn to get a Job

I'm pooped.

Here's a cool article from somebody else:

http://newgradlife.blogspot.com/2009/12/use-linkedin-to-get-job.html?goback=%2Egde_2250783_member_232451239

Courtesy: Angela Astley, New Grad Life

Maximizing Social Media Presence at Events

This article is all about ways to maximize your social media presence before, during, and after an event. It's mainly targeted toward social media during conferences, but some of the ideas can be used to events like concerts, too.

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/maximize-the-social-media-presence-at-your-next-event/

Some of these things I tried when promoting my last show, like blowing up a particular hashtag. It's hard in a town like this, when few people in your target market are active on Twitter.

I also like the idea of having a social media "command center," even at a small event. I could have stood to have one of my workers at my last show checking in on foursquare and blasting on Twitter and Facebook while I was busy getting everything together.

And wouldn't it be cool to take the idea of tweeting questions at a conference, and turn it into tweeting improv suggestions to performers? Eh??

A Learning Experience

If you're looking for the moral of this story, scroll down to the bullet list.

Over the past few months, I organized / promoted a comedy show as a senior project, thinking it would be a lot of fun and unique from other projects former students had done. I can definitely say it was unique, and fun at times, but the long, harrowing journey I took to get to one short night of laughter was more painful than I had anticipated.

I originally started plans last August with the intent of having a show involving semi-professional stand-up comedians and student improvisors and sketch comedians in January. The show would take place in a small, but adequate, event center that most people in town don't even realize exists. The event center manager, strung out due to family, financial, and time management problems, agreed to the event and met with me in person once. This manager gave me little to no guidance about what they wanted to see in their venue, what it would cost me to ensure their costs were covered, and never even gave me a solid yes or no concerning the date I had in mind.

After our meeting, it became very difficult to get in touch with the manager; phone calls and emails were rarely, if ever, returned, and I felt like I'd been left hanging in limbo. One day (in mid-December, mind you), I received an abrupt email stating that the manager was no longer managing the event center, and that I needed to get in touch with the building's management. Hmm...

Fortunately, I'd already been in touch with a pub down the street that had shown some interest; I met with an owner of the pub promptly. The owner expressed that comedy had not gone well for them in the past, but was willing to compromise and let me have a fairly low-risk evening: A Wednesday in March. I was allowed to start after the dinner rush was over, and could stay into the night.

The pub owner had agreed (in person) to help with promo by putting up my posters around the pub, and advertising on their online calendar and "table tents." Good enough for me, I thought. Most of the rest of our agreements were made or verified through email.

Honestly, by this time, I was losing gumption and motivation, and was having a hard time finding an affordable semi-professional comedian in the area, so I changed course. I decided to pay a friend who had experience in improv and emcee-ing to help me before and during the show. I turned the night into the "Last Laugh Improv Battle Night", and decided MSU's improv team would duke it out against a college improv team from the next town over. Social media events were created, posters were made (thanks to this guy), and loose promo instructions were given to a generally less-than-savvy street team.

As the show date came closer, I met with the pub owner again to make sure we were on the same page. I got to the pub, and realized no inside promo that had been promised had been done, and that there was nothing I could really do about it. March's table tents were already up (without my event), and all I could ask was that some of my posters go up. One did.

At this meeting, I was asked, "What are you going to do about sound?" Oh. Shit. It was a week before the show, and I'd completely spaced technical production. Fortunately, a friend who's a wiz with a/v stuff was able to rent me a few things for cheap, and another friend with some experience in live sound was able to help during the show.

Note: Also at this meeting, I was asked what improv is... Which I had assumed had been understood, since each time I'd referred to "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" the owner had emphatically nodded along. Oy vey...

At the show, things went okay, and I felt a lot of relief knowing it was almost over. My paid emcee introduced and did his own on-spot sketch (nominal, at best), and the first group went on and did their thing, mic'd. There was a lot of feed back (my mom complained, reminding me I would need to deal with all complaints as the event administrator), and it was clear the group didn't have a lot of experience with mics or PG improv. After this group's alright performance, MSU's group took the stage and made me really proud. The group (all theatre majors) decided to nix the idea of mics and project themselves, which was incidentally much more effective, and was able to make it a family-friendly atmosphere.

So, needless to say, the show went, whether it was great or just okay, despite all the work I felt I put into it months beforehand.

Now, if you're looking for the moral of this story and what I've learned, here we go:

• Figure out how to make an effective timeline / checklist for yourself, and follow it. My timeline was wimpy at best, and I didn't even follow what little I'd written down. If I had, I would've had mics figured out well ahead of time, and wouldn't have scrambled to get decent sound (which I didn't get, because I scrambled). Since then, I've found a large event timeline I like that could be customized and watered down for smaller events, too.
• Make sure Plan B (and C and D) is a good one. When I realized I wouldn't be able to afford the comedians I originally had in mind, I skipped straight to a Plan D. In other words, my alternatives weren't necessarily as well thought out and strong as they could have been, making for a less impressive show. 
• Keep things in writing. I did this for some things through email, like how much money the pub would put toward the event, but forgot to verify important things like promo. I wish I would have been more diligent about this, so that I could have looked back on these and said, "You agreed to this, so why aren't you doing it?"
• When things feel wrong, abandon ship. I did this by feeling out the pub before I'd even officially pulled the plug on the event center. In any case, because of various details not described here, I think the show went better at the pub than it would have at the center.
• Organize dress rehearsals. I'd attempted to do this too late in the game (again, timelines). This left me with a show that looked thrown together and confused, and overly nervous performers.
• Keep on top of your performers. I was happy that my emcee was able to offer ideas and knew a lot about improv to help with the concept of the show. However, I should have checked in with him a week beforehand to make sure he was preparing something to perform and not making up some crappy sketch on the spot.
• Keep on top of your workers. When I gave my workers the seemingly simple task of postering around town, I told them each to cover certain regions, assuming they could use their best judgement about the specifics. This was apparently a bad assumption (though I don't think it should have been), since I never saw many posters other than my own. Also, I have a tendency to let my workers do what they want (i.e. be lazy) for fear of sounding like a nag otherwise. I need to find a tactic that allows me to check up on my workers without feeling like I'm breathing down their necks. Note: I should add that I was very happy and impressed with one of my workers.

This show may not have been the most satisfying way to finish up a senior project, but I'm happy with what I've learned, and I now know a lot of things to never do again. As my own professor said, next time I'm asked the terrible interview question "tell me about a time you had a problem and solved it," at least I'll have a solid, ready answer.

What might you have done differently in my shoes? What kind of problems have you encountered when organizing your own events?

SXSW Survival Guide

SXSW begins very soon! Unfortunately, I won't be going. But if I were, I'd like to think that I would closely follow this survival guide written by seasoned SXSW-goer, Beth Martinez.

SXSW Survival Guide 2013

I like that Beth is so anal retentive about packing - makes me realize that I'm not the only one!

Have you been to SXSW or another big music festival? What would you add to Beth's list?