For the first half of my life, I have lived in big cities. Harrisonburg was the first small city I have ever lived in. Knowing that most teenagers want to live in a big city when they grow up, I decided to give my best tips to living in a big city.

1. When you have the choice to give money or food to a homeless person, give them food.

Giving food to the homeless will not only feed them so they don’t go hungry, but it also helps soothe your fears that they might be using you money to do things other than buy food with it.  Therefore you’re giving food right to the source and immediately helping the helpless. Nowadays, many homeless people will ask for food or money. Even though giving things to homeless people is scary, just remember that sometimes a slice of bread could give them hope.

2. If you see an empty subway car DO NOT GET IN.

Most empty subway cars are empty for a reason, whether it’s because someone threw up in it or someone has died. You never know and usually you don’t ever want to find out. Many times it’s better to be around people so that there are eyewitnesses if something were to happen to anybody. You have a backup support system right there in the subway car.

3. When in a big city, walk fast.

People in bigger cities tend to be busier, which then causes them to walk faster to try to get places faster. Walking slow in a big city makes you seem like a tourist that is only there to sightsee, but there are so many ways to sightsee and act like a local.

After visiting two big cities in a span of two months, and living in a few, I would say that although I am not an expert in big cities, I do have an understanding of big city dynamics.