short answer: go with your heart but do it as smart as you can - ie, send out resumes and resumes and resumes. keep a serious eye on rents in various neighborhoods. Get an idea of how much it would cost to commute and see how that fits into your budget. spend time on salary.com and other websites so you have an idea of how much you'll make.

i have no doubt that you can come up with a compromise: long commute, with good rent so no roommates is probably the equation.


long answer: seriously, go with your heart. put all your effort into planning it, go on interviews, look at apartments so it all feels "real." you can always change your mind later but don't give up before you start. I've been told often how much people envy me for doing things like moving to seattle and dc and north carolina. I'm exceeding grateful for those experiences even if I did come home.

"they" have ideas for you and that's ok but "they" aren't you and don't have YOUR dreams.

alternatively, once you've exhausted all your planning, you may find out what it is that you like about New York and find a way to find a possibly cheaper alternative. But it is NYC - even if it doesn't end up being long term, it's worth a shot!!!