Adjusting to a New City (A Lifelong New Yorker’s Perspective)

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About Tom:Tom Vance is from NYC and lived there until he moved west to pursue his MBA at Anderson. His interest in tech has guided his career so far, and he hopes to continue on that path in pursuit of a role in digital product management. In his free time, Tom loves attending concerts, playing golf, cooking, and trying new restaurants.



Having comfortably lived in NYC my entire life aside from my college years, I have to admit I was a little worried about what life in LA would be like. Here are some of the things I was excited for, worried about, and surprised by:



Looking for an apartment: Going into this I knew nothing could be worse than looking for a new apartment in NYC. I devised my plan and visited LA in early June for a July move-in (for first years the program begins in August). I had an idea of availability (which was pretty strong) from looking at Apts.com in the Sawtelle and Brentwood neighborhoods. Classmates recommended that I drive around the neighborhoods and call the management companies listed on each building, which I did. They didn’t always answer, but I still was able to see between 10-15 apartments over two days. I did not have to wait in any lines to view them, did not have to interact with a broker, did not have to pay a broker’s fee, and found an apartment at a better value that it would go for in NY. LA wins (by a mile).



Getting around: Everyone knows about the LA traffic, but the nice thing about being a student is you may not always need to commute during rush hour. It may surprise some, but I actually enjoy driving. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been doing it for that long as I didn’t get my license until after college (city life). Other than driving, your only real option is Uber or Lyft (and e-scooters for short dinstances). I generally follow the rule that a trip could take 3X as long with traffic as it would without. Being a planner and wanting to be punctual, the unpredictably of travel time in LA bothers me more than NY subway delays. NY wins.



The food scene: I have to admit this is close. I’ve been spoiled living in NY and it’s easy to spoil yourself in LA, just not as frequently as a student. There isn’t a whole lot you can get in one city that isn’t in the other. The biggest drawback is that I have do feel that, on average, a nice meal out in LA will cost you a little more than it would in NY. One difference is ordering on the food delivery apps: the density of NY gives you way more selection. Regarding late night food, street tacos have been a solid replacement for pizza slices, but I really miss NY pizza. NY wins



Concerts: I had a list of shows and venues that I planned to hit before I made my way to LA. Being one of the entertainment capitals of the world, I wasn’t worried about being able to catch some of my favorite bands and artists. The differences really come down to venues. The Hollywood Bowl is easily one of the best I’ve been to in my life and beats any in NY (although Madison Square Garden for concerts holds a dear place in my heart). The Hollywood Palladium and the Wiltern are solid for mid-size venues but don’t stack up to NY’s Beacon Theater and Brooklyn Bowl. I’ve also found NY’s more intimate / clubby venues to be better more unique as well. NY wins



Golfing: LA’s public courses have the same issues as NY’s. But if you’re willing to drive an hour outside of Westwood/Sawtelle/Brentwood, there are some great courses (as there are in NY, but it’s a slim chance you have a car or know someone who does living there). I know you’ve been waiting for me to say something about the weather so here it is – in LA I can play golf close to any day of the year I want, in NY I can’t. LA wins



LA has been a great change of pace, but my heart will always be with NY. If you feel strongly about any of my thoughts, for or against, feel free to reach out!



Undergrad: Villanova University ’14 – B.B.A. in Finance

Pre-MBA: Strategy & Operations at Uber (UberEats)

Leadership@Anderson: Executive Director, Tech Business Association (AnderTech); First-Year Director, Anderson Ambassador Corp; Director of Events, John Anderson Golf Club

Instagram: @vance_inmypants

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