One of Hofstra’s main selling points is that the campus is located less than a half hour outside New York City. So, chances are, you’ve ventured into the concrete jungle, whether it be for your internship, sight seeing or a girls night out, and taken the city’s convenient metro transit along the way.
But navigating your way through America’s most populated city on the subway can get tricky if you’re not prepared for the atmosphere. If you find the fast pace of the city daunting or are not used to subway travel, keep these “subway etiquette” tips in mind on your journey.
Let People Off Before You Get into the Car
You’d think this would be a no brainer, but you’ll see the opposite happen far too often. Don’t be too hurried in your own travel that you forget about the common courtesy of someone else’s. As the subway car doors open, hover around the edges of the door as you let others off, and then get into the car. Don’t worry; the MTA conductor won’t leave you behind for having manners.
Map Out Your Trip Beforehand
It’s best to know things like when you have to make your transfer or how many stops away your are from the destination before you actually get onto the train. And you should especially know the subway line going uptown and downtown. That way you won’t be in panic mode if you’re headed the wrong way on the train or ask a stranger for directions that might not be right.
Know When to Give Up Your Seat
In addition to the ‘pregnant women and the elderly’ rule for giving up your seat on the subway, if you know you’re only going three or less stops, give your seat up to someone more deserving.
I once gave up my seat to a woman on the C train carrying huge bushels of flowers and she so was grateful, she gave me a mini bouquet of sunflowers as a thank you.
Respect Everyone’s Personal Space
You basically relinquish your ideal degree of personal space by entering the subway (they call it mass transit because it’s used by a massive amount of people—get it?) So don’t waste the seat next to you by putting your bag on it just because you don’t want to be sat next to. Chances are someone you don’t know will be relatively close to you. Get over it.
At the same time, know the difference between close and too close. Sitting next to a stranger or having your hands close on one of the metal bars is fine. Leaning on that strangers shoulder or touching hands on the bar is definitely too close.
This issue of personal space applies to subway activities as well. When sitting/standing in close proximity to strangers, its best not to eat, say or do anything that may be offensive to your fellow travelers.
Don’t Be Flashy
Things like switching songs on your new iPhone 5 or checking your new watch for the time may seem like little habits to you but to a potential thief, they’re signs of what’s up for grabs! Keep your values hidden and bag zipped, especially when traveling at night. And always be mindful of your surroundings.
Keep it Casual
Speaking of your surroundings, all too often I’ve seen perfectly nice people put on their bitch faces as soon as they get in the subway car. Its okay to keep your demeanor light and casual during subway travel–you don’t have to look like a robot with headphones in. And at the off chance you make awkward eye contact with a fellow traveler, a minimal effort smile won’t kill you.
There are dozens of social media accounts and thousands of memes dedicated to ‘bad subway riders’. With these tips at hand, you can make sure you’re not ever one of them! Got any more subway etiquette tips? Let HC Hofstra know in the comments below.