The Post-New York Hangover: What To Do When You Miss Living in New York

New York is a vast complex city, and once you live there, it’s an experience that will forever be a part of your DNA. The only trouble with that is, it can be difficult to adjust to a new post-NYC life. It is not uncommon for former New Yorkers to express a longing for their former home, or a lack of satisfaction with their new, less exciting city. So what do you do when the homesickness sets in? When all you want is some proper New York pizza? When you open the window and hear birds instead of people? Here are some things that you can do when you just really miss living in New York.

Do Some ‘Nesting’

If you can’t be in New York, bring New York to your new home. Surround yourself with things that will comfort you when you are feeling particularly homesick, such as pictures and keepsakes from your time there. Especially if you have only recently moved, a big part of getting rid of that longing for your old home is to make your new one feel as comfortable and familiar as possible.

Watch a Movie

On the other hand, you might already be well settled in your current place of residence, but you have just found yourself hit with a random pang of longing for New York City. Lucky for you, there are a lot of movies (and TV shows) that are set in New York, and watching some of those might just give you that comfort you need.

Plan a Trip

The best thing to do when you miss a place is to actually go there. If you are able to, start planning and saving up now, and set a specific date for a trip to New York in the near or distant future. It’ll make you feel better knowing that you will definitely be back in the city some day relatively soon.

Listen to Some Music

As well as movies and TV shows, there is also a lot of music that pays tribute to New York City. Take some time and compile yourself a New York playlist—full of songs that are about New York, but also songs that evoke personal memories or remind you of your time there.

Get Cooking

When you ask people what they miss about New York, a common answer is the food. Since you can’t get many of the restaurant or take out options that you find in the city anywhere else, why not try looking a few recipes up online and giving them a try yourself? It might be difficult to recreate the magic exactly, especially if you are not a great cook, but it should be at least an acceptable substitute.

Invite Some Friends Over

When you have that truly painful homesickness that just makes you want to cry, only your friends will be able to help you out of it. Invite them over for a chat or hang, or call them up if they are far away. Nothing beats the longing for a place like the realization that people are more important anyway. And if all else fails—and you’re still missing New York—your last option is to start looking up places to live, and move back to NYC as soon as possible.