New Yorkers find happiness in transportation, food, and random interactions with strangers, with the most popular moments including swiping a metro card, eating a bagel, and encountering a celebrity on the street.
NEW YORK (PIX11) — Finding a moment of happiness in the city that never sleeps can be challenging. But New York City residents have come together on Reddit to answer the question: "What makes New Yorkers happy?"
With thousands of likes and hundreds of people commenting, PIX11 News scoured to find the most interesting responses.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, most things that make New Yorkers happy involve transportation.
When you walk onto the subway platform just as the train arrives. Also, two instantaneous connections (i.e., the next train is already waiting for you) in one subway trip.
“Ugh yes,” said miggysbox. “This is a God-tier New York City moment.”
“Walking from one train to the other across the platform like a boss,” said letspetpuppies.
Swiping your MetroCard in a nice fluid swipe and turnstile pass in a single motion.
Although the original post noted that this is slowly but surely going away due to OMNY, many MTA riders could not agree more.
“Getting REJECTED mid-stride is the most humbling-feel-like-a-tourist thing ever,” said Okgusto.
“I saw a guy flip over years ago because he was running trying to catch the train,” bikesboozeandbacon recounted in their post. “I thought he could swipe in one go. Nope, he was immediately humbled by the bar. Hope he’s okay today and it’s not too much PTSD for him.”
The swoosh of air as the subway pulls up on a really hot day. Also, when you walk from a hot platform into a train car with a really kicking air conditioning.
“Exactly this. Being all sweaty and gross and hitting ice-cold cold air, like I'm sitting in a little refrigerator that drives me home? Nothing like it,” said farbissina_punim.
Another Redditor also said, “Especially at night because it’s already hot in the city, but when you go down to the subway, it just feels like you walked into a sauna.”
When there's a virtually empty train 2 minutes behind a packed one.
“Similarly, when you skip the crowded bus to catch an empty one a minute behind that one,” said Important-Voice-3342. “Then it sails past the first one a few blocks down the road.”
A good everything bagel with scallion cream cheese.
"Bagel Place has the one I want just coming out of the oven, and I can get it untoasted with butter and still have it soaked with melted butter. Oh so fluffy," eruciform added.
"When your bagel guy sees you walk in, the place is mobbed, and they start making your order ahead of everyone else's," said ordlovesaworkinman.
Pizza.
“The Way to a New Yorker’s heart,” said letspetpuppies.
The ice cream truck in the summer.
“Seeing the soft serve truck on the corner along your route on a hot summer day — then proceeding to lick and walk with rainbow sprinkles drizzling down your hand, KiKiKimbro said. “Pure bliss.”
When the Halal or taco truck is still open, with no line, when you're on your way home from going out drinking.
A Trader Joe’s or a supermarket near your apartment.
“When I moved into my apartment, there were rumors that one (Trader Joe's) might go in,” said Rosebudny. ”It took several more years to open before it was confirmed and then a few more years, but it was well worth the wait.”
"Staff at my local Whole Foods greet me and ask where my kids are when I'm without them," In_Vino_Veritas1989 said. "So overall, recognizing me and acting friendly."
Seamless single-item bodega cash transactions.
"The Bodeg(er) shows the product, drops the money on the counter, and acknowledges the Bodeg(ee) with a head nod," said TheOldRamDangle. “Note: this can be done even if another customer is checking out. The Bodeg(ee) completes the head nod, and the Bodeg(er) leaves with the product."
When you walk into a bodega, and the bodega cat is out and about.
“A bodega cat sighting always makes the day brighter,” said Snarkadia.
Walking to my favorite coffee shop with my go-to booth seat open.
Settling your bar tab, you see a couple (or even one) beers were comped.
When the cashier taps the No Tip for you when you pick up.
“This is a good one,” letspetpuppies replied. “It makes me happy when the cashier immediately blocks you from entering a tip after tapping your card, and they constantly smash the “No Tip” button until the transaction is complete! They are my heroes!’
Another New Yorker commented, “Can this be the norm?”
Wholesome random interactions with strangers.
“Totally," Lizzie_Boredom said. “Whether it’s over an act of kindness or a mutual eye-roll. People here are much more personable than where I grew up in the suburbs.”
When you interrupt tourists who are clearly lost when giving them directions, they react like you are their guardian angel.
When you encounter a celebrity on the street, and you don't say a word (it's not the NYC way, after all).
Running into someone you like in an unexpected part of town
“I love it when this happens. In a city of millions, it seems so serendipitous,” Lizzie_Boredom said.
The exchange of subtle shrugs, eye rolls, or bemused looks with strangers on the subway after a weird or disruptive event.
New Yorkers coming together.
“I love when something wild happens and everyone breaks character,” z0000000t said. “An example would be watching the solar eclipse over by Canal Street. The ladies who sell handbags are notoriously mean. However, during the eclipse, I saw them sharing their glasses with random children walking by. They made sure each child they saw got to experience the phenomenon at least for a second. Beautiful, honestly.”
"When I see an act of grace, such as someone giving their seat on the subway to an elderly person or helping the deliveryman pick up their oranges," said Exciting-Giraffe. "It makes me smile and say I'm lucky to be here."
Parking.
"A parking spot on the correct side of a street with alternate side parking, especially if it's good for a few days in a row," Carl_LaFong said.
"A perfect day is finding a parking spot in front of my apartment," said jumpoffstuff87.
When your rent doesn’t go up.
Finding an apartment without a broker.
"When you’ve been saving up to move, and you get approved for an apartment with no broker’s fee," said MrMason522.
An in-unit washer/dryer.
Those two months out of the year when my electric bill is under $50 ????.
A doorman.
When you find an open, clean, and freely available restroom at the first building you enter.
“I have nothing to add, but I wanted to say this is the happiest post of my day. Thanks for that. :)” said kalayna.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.
