Choosing a college to attend is certainly not easy, especially when it means moving away from home, however, this decision becomes harder when you get into a school that’s located in a big city. With its fast-paced lifestyle and reputation for being unsafe, New York City can be intimidating for newcomers. However, don’t let the rumors and misconceptions fool you. In this article, we will explore the safety of New York City for students and provide some tips to help you make the most of your time in the Big Apple.
Myths about the city.
We’ve all heard the “NYC is one of the most dangerous cities in the country” speech, however, have you ever looked into it? Truth is, yes, there is a lot of crime in the city, regardless, there are also a lot of residents. Let’s compare NYC crime rates (provided by New York City’s goverment website) to other cities in the United States.
| City | Crimes commited last year | Population | Crime rate per 1000 inhabitants |
| New York City | 126,589 | 8.468M | 14.94 |
| Denver, Colorado | 49,817 | 711,463 | 70,02 |
| Chicago, Illinois | 87,670 | 2.697M | 32.5 |
The immensity of New York City might be intimidating but that doesn’t mean it is unsafe or the most dangerous in the country like most might think. However, if you still feel a bit scared about the Big Apple and want to be precacious, here’s a few tips to stay safe.
Tips to stay safe in the city
Sure, NYC is not as dangerous as it seems, but that doesn’t mean there is no crime. If this is your first time living in the city, there are a few things to take into consideration:
- Lock the doors and windows in your apartment. This basic tip can not only apply to the Big Apple but to every city/town in the world.
- Don’t stay too near the subway’s railway. It does not happen often but there are cases of people falling onto the railway in a crowded station.
- Beware of insistent street sellers. While some of them are actually trying to earn some honest money, others will try to steal things from you.
- Be careful while on the street. Remember, being careful doesn’t mean being paranoid. Enjoy what the city has to offer, just remember to not be too loose while doing that.
- Beware of tourist spots. Every big city has tourist traps, be extra careful when visiting places like Times Square.
Studying in NYC might be the greatest decision you can ever make, you can enjoy the typical student and the Big Apple lifestyles at the same time! If you get too scared to do things you will miss out on a lot of great opportunities to better yourself in a personal and academic/professional sense. Let yourself try new things and be a bit careless, you’re only gonna be this young once.
