am I real new yorker? anyone who's lived in this city, for a month or for a lifetime, has probably been confronted with this question at some point. it's no secret that there's a ton of transplants in this city who don't stay here more than a few years, which breeds resentment from those who were born and raised here.
personally, I was born in Brooklyn not far from where I live now... but my parents moved to the suburbs pretty much immediately afterward. and as an adult I've lived in Brooklyn since 2013, outlasting a lot of the transplants... but I only got a new york driver's license less than a year ago!
so naturally, while I was waiting in line at the DMV I started wondering, "does this mean I'm finally a real new yorker?"
I thought about how easy it is to get caught up in imposter syndrome, the way that living here invites you to compare yourself to your idols, especially if you moved here in your twenties to follow your dreams.
and I came to terms with the fact that as I get deeper into my thirties, more and more of my friends are leaving town... but that doesn't mean I have to do the same. even if some folks don't understand my choices.
I'm happy for my friends who have bought houses and started families, but I'm not going anywhere any time soon.