I moved to New York City on a whim after almost a decade in Florida. Here are the 11 biggest surprises, so far.

I didn’t have plans to move to New York when I did. The entire decision — from even considering it at all to boarding the plane — came together in just a couple of weeks.

I only made the decision to move when a close friend found himself suddenly needing an extra roommate in a three-bedroom apartment.

At the time, I had moved back to my parents’ house postgrad while working remotely in a six-month-long fellowship. While I didn’t want to commit to a yearlong lease without long-term employment, I knew going into the Miami real estate market would also present challenges, especially since I didn’t have friends looking for apartments whom I could recruit as roommates.

Looking at how much my share of rent would be in a three-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn — which I had long considered to be out of my price range — I realized it was cheaper than it would be to live alone in Miami. It was even comparable to what I would pay in just about any major US city if I didn’t want to share an apartment with roommates I didn’t know.

So while the average rent in Brooklyn is nearly double the average in Miami, per RentCafe data, I found that having roommates, whom I knew beforehand, made New York much more affordable for me than it would’ve been to dive into the Miami rental market on my own.

In Miami, a 20-minute drive could easily become an hour-plus trek once rush hour hits, which pretty much means any time between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. or 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

I’ve found the New York City subway, on the other hand, comparatively fast and reliable.

While many New Yorkers might feel like they regularly experience delayed subway trains, on-time performance is around 85%, per MTA data, which I find infinitely more convenient than Miami’s much less frequent and often delayed public transportation options.

It does require a mindset shift from appreciating the individuality of driving to the communal experience of taking public transit. If the train is delayed, it’s delayed for all of us; I’ve found there’s a certain camaraderie in that.

I’ve learned to allow for some buffer time when I’m going from place to place, and I’ve started bringing a book with me to make the most out of the travel time, something I couldn’t do if I had to focus on driving.

Florida doesn’t have an income tax, so having lived there my whole working life before moving to New York, I had grown used to what my paychecks looked like.

When I made the move, I was aware it would change, but it was still surprising to see just how different my take-home pay looked, even as someone early in my career.

That said, I don’t feel bad about my tax dollars funding things like public libraries or an efficient subway. In New York, I can enjoy public services that I feel are far superior to those in Florida.

From the persistent background noise of car honks to ear-piercing subway screeches, the city can be very loud.

While this isn’t a dealbreaker for me, I might eventually consider investing in a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones, or even earplugs.

I’ve recently grown used to falling asleep to meditation sounds that help me drown out the neighbors’ footsteps or the occasional midnight ambulance siren.

Whether it’s murals around residential neighborhoods or small details in subway stations, art is everywhere you go in New York.

There is also a wide variety of museums and cultural institutions around the city, and many of them offer free admission on certain days or with a library card, which has inspired me to immerse myself in the arts during my free time.

While Miami also has a variety of museums, in my experience they tend to be smaller and admission isn’t often free. The city’s layout and traffic also make it more difficult to casually visit them without planning a whole day around it, as most are located in the congested downtown.

In New York, I’ve found it’s easier to pack a free museum night at a world-famous institution into a regular weekday.

From street art to museums and performing arts centers across the city, it’s impossible not to be awed and inspired by the creativity, passion, and talent that so many people have here.

In Florida, it feels like everyone is either always on vacation or has an abstract form of income where they don’t need to, well, work.

On the other hand, New York City is all about the grind. Every conversation starts with asking what people do for work, and sometimes ends with adding each other on LinkedIn.

The possibilities feel endless in terms of career growth and creating valuable networks.

Living in the city has made me much more conscious of what I wear and how I wear it.

While the Miami aesthetic emphasizes physical appearance, such as a good tan or a tasteful cosmetic procedure, New York fashion is much more about what you wear and how it fits you.

Walking the streets in some of the more fashion-forward or even business districts of the city feels like scrolling through Pinterest for fashion inspiration. Sometimes, it feels like a never-ending fashion week.

To avoid feeling overwhelmed by the sense that I’m not dressing well enough for the city, I’ve begun slowly building a more fashionable, city-appropriate wardrobe for the office and beyond.

During my first few visits to the city, I repeatedly got the same impression of what life here was like: hectic, loud, and crowded.

Then I went outside Manhattan.

Exploring different neighborhoods beyond the typical tourist areas, I’ve discovered just how distinct life can be in each neighborhood and how diverse the communities are in each place.

Some of the corners I’ve visited so far, like the East Village, are packed with young people and bars, while others, like Park Slope in Brooklyn, are all about the coffee shops and baby strollers.

New York is one of the most diverse cities in the world, with cultures from every corner of the globe, from the Dominican Republic to Bangladesh, having a place in the city.

I also find it amazing that I can experience food from dozens of different countries without leaving the city. Where else could you do that?

As I’ve started settling into the city, I’ve found that having access to so many options can be overwhelming and time-consuming.

Although I do venture out to try some of the millions of things the city has to offer each day, I’ve found that staying near my neighborhood makes the most sense for me.

Sometimes, social media virality sends crowds to New York food spots for weeks on end, but despite how good a particular cup of coffee or sandwich might be, I just haven’t been convinced that waiting in line for anything in this city can really be all that worth it when so many other options are available.

I’ve started rolling my eyes whenever people try to tell me that one specific pizza spot is the best in the city. Maybe I’m just privileged, but I really don’t believe it can get any better than the one a block from my apartment.

I firmly believe that whoever said all there is to do in New York City is going to restaurants and bars just didn’t try to find other activities.

Out of all the life changes I have experienced since moving, the newfound variety of activities in my calendar is one of my favorites.

From networking events to book talks and fairs, to community walks, the sheer diversity of activities every day is incredible, and I love filling my free time with the different side quests I can find.

It makes my days more interesting and feels much more enriching than trying a million variations of the same meal or drink.

Speaking about loneliness in Florida is often taboo, even during times when it’s to be expected, such as the transition from college to post-graduation.

Even major cities like Miami have a certain hometown quality where it feels like everyone has known everyone since forever, and those who haven’t are just out of the loop.

New York, on the other hand, feels like a much more welcoming city in that sense. While people might feel even more lonely than in other places, there’s no shame in admitting that, and I’ve found that there are so many events happening every week that are meant to help strangers connect with each other over shared interests, industries, neighborhoods, or even just the shared alone-ness of moving to a major city.

While I’m still building what I can call my community, the city has allowed me to meet dozens of amazing people from different walks of life already, whom I wouldn’t have connected with if not for admitting to myself and others that the city can be lonely for newcomers like me.