The Top 10 Dumbest Questions That Every New Yorker Gets Asked

Katherine Ripley • September 22, 2015

Whenever you’re out of town for family gatherings or college reunions, you’re bound to get a ton of questions about living in NYC. Here are the top 10 dumbest ones that every New Yorker gets:

1. So, is it, like, really expensive to live in New York?

Two types of people ask this question: your friends who think you’re not functional enough to live in NYC if it’s as expensive as they hear it is, and people who have a vague dream of living in NYC and are waiting for someone to tell them it’s really not that bad.

It is that bad.

2. Do you like it?

Nobody who lives in New York City doesn’t like it. See previous question. If you didn’t like it, you wouldn’t shell out the money to pay to live here.

3. Does it bother you that it’s so crowded?

See previous question. Also, there’s more to NYC than Times Square, Union Square, and Rockefeller Plaza.

4. So, does it get cold in the winter?

central park winter — [Alejandro Rdguez/Flickr]

Asked by people who live south of the Mason-Dixon line. New York is not Alaska, but yes, it does get cold. There is snow. A hot chocolate does some good every now and then.

5. Are you Uptown or Downtown?

You mean my living location, my work location, or my personality? And you do know there’s a lot more to NYC than just uptown and downtown, right?

6. Do you ever go to Chinatown?

Are you just asking this because it’s the only area of NYC that you can name? Besides “Uptown” and “Downtown.”

7. Is the food good?

Are all 40,000 restaurants in NYC good? There’s probably a range in there. But with more options you’re more likely to pick something good, yes.

8. Have you been to Times Square for New Year’s?

No. Just no. Never do this, it’s a terrible idea.

9. Are you a Jets or a Giants fan?

This question is dumb either because you’re assuming the New Yorker you’re talking to is into football (as if there’s nothing else interesting in NYC), or you’re assuming that rooting for the Jets is even a possibility.

10. Have you met any celebrities?

Yeah, Beyonce and I hang out all the time. We’ve got plans to get coffee this weekend.

Cover photo credit: Asim Barwhani/Flickr

Tags: Funny