When I was ten years old, my mom and I visited New York City for a summer vacation. Of course, at that time I was going because I wanted to visit the American Girl Store, but little did I know that NYC has so much more to offer. Not only did I enjoy tea with my dolls, but also the beautiful Central Park, the amazing food, and the wonderful shopping. My love then blossomed into a dream- a dream to eventually live in the city. On a later visit, we walked past the NYU campus and I had my hopes set on going there.

While I ended up not applying to NYU and am instead on the other side of the country, I would still love to one day end up in the city. It will always be a dream of mine. Until I live there, it will remain an enchanting and glamorous place that I loved to visit with my American Girl dolls. However, I know that there is a harsher reality to living in NYC than my ten year old self would like to think. The cost of living is outrageously expensive, jobs are hard to come by, and there are a lot of people.

So what makes it more enticing than other places? For me it’s the beautiful city lights at night, the magic of being in a big city, Central Park… And it seems like there are so many things to do there.

I think it all changes, though, when you are living and working there. You automatically have to earn a certain salary in order to afford your living arrangements and food, and things naturally become a little less glamorous.

So is where you live important to finding a job and being able to survive? Many professionals and career sources say it is. Sometimes, moving to a new place may be the best option to find a job. Certain cities have larger amounts of available jobs, while others are pretty jam packed. Though it may seem hard and unrealistic, it is definitely an option to consider. Especially for those of us in college and searching for jobs in the future, leaving for a new place after graduation can provide a new adventure as well as a good opportunity for work.

Take a look at the most expensive zip codes (for fun as well as to see where living might be easier), and let yourself imagine what your life could be like in the future. Also use it to consider where you might want to end up after college in looking for a job and housing. Don’t let it squish your dreams, however.