Things Only People Who Live in Cities Understand

Vegetation, Daytime, Tower block, Urban area, Metropolitan area, Neighbourhood, City, Atmospheric phenomenon, Residential area, Atmosphere,

(Image credit: Archives)

published 24 July 2014

1. Brunch and its incredible significance in your life. Where else can you rehash events from the night before with your friends, drink, and order Eggs Benedict? (opens in new tab)

2. The struggle over whether you should give up trying to get a taxi after 20 minutes. Or fight to the finish since you've already made it so far.

3. You know that pigeons defecating on your newly blown out hair is not, in fact, "good luck."

4. Each corner becomes a race to see if you can beat Suit Guy or Sneaker Lady to the next corner. And it counts as your workout for the day.

5. The importance of geo-tagging on Instagram (opens in new tab). How else will I know what everyone at this restaurant has ordered before me?

6. The feeling of panic when you realize you may have left your apartment without your cell phone. There's NO way you're climbing up those five flights of stairs again.

7. That it's socially acceptable to ask people how much they pay in rent each month. And then shed one glistening tear when they explain that their apartment is rent-controlled… and has a backyard.

8. Get irrationally mad at the slow walker in front of you. I'm late for work (opens in new tab)! Are you a snail? Is this a sidewalk for snails? I didn't think so!

9. And then overwhelmed with guilt when you realize it's a senior citizen. Oops. Take your time ma'am.

10. Pizza has never tasted better (or had less calories!) than when eaten at 3am. Who needs dinner when you can fill up on bar snacks and beers and then fall asleep with a pizza in your bed?

11. Rooftop parties (opens in new tab). And how many Instagram likes they score you.

Lighting, Sky, Atmosphere, Electricity, Lantern, Sunlight, Atmospheric phenomenon, Light, Evening, Morning,

12. The threat of a sidewalk grate-related death at any moment. When, I ask you, are those going to be outlawed? Who can I tweet about this?

13. You're not mad when air conditioner goo sprays on you from above. It's refreshing!

14. Commuting is "me" time (opens in new tab). I just want to sit here, listen to to my embarrassing playlist on Spotify's privacy setting, and not talk.

15. When visiting relatives comment on the foul smell. You're completely immune.

16. You've seen the same person panhandling on the same corner now for seven years. You know each other by name.

17. Your walk home can include a cocktail, a major shopping jaunt, running into an ex, and petting at least three dogs (opens in new tab). In no particular order.

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Finger, Drinkware, Glass, Drink, Alcoholic beverage, Tableware, Stemware, Barware, Alcohol, Distilled beverage,

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Hallie has worked in beauty editorial for ten years and has been editorial director at Byrdie since 2021. Previously, she was a senior editor at Byrdie since 2016. During her time at Byrdie, she's written hundreds of high-performing stories on skincare, wellness (including fitness, diet, mental health, body image, et al) makeup, and hair. She's a regular on set, helping to source inspiration for makeup and hair looks, as well as interviewing celebrities, models, and other notable women and men in the beauty space.

Before that, Hallie ran Marie Claire's social media and wrote beauty and culture stories for the site, and helped launch Time Inc.'s digital-only beauty brand, MIMI. After college, she contributed to Time Out New York’s Shopping & Style section before landing her first beauty editor gig at Hearst's Real Beauty. Hallie's writing has also appeared in ELLE, Cosmopolitan, and InStyle. Hallie graduated with a BA in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.