Written by Megan Soyars
Soon after I arrived in New York City, I found myself unemployed, friendless, and—worst of all—homeless.
I’d headed up to NYC from Texas on a something of a romantic whim. I’d seen the Big Apple portrayed glamorously in movies and television, I’d listened to Alicia Key’s New York, rocking my head to the beat and thinking, I could make it there. Life in the city drew me like a moth to flame, and just like a moth, my journey was unplanned and perilous. I simply packed up my bags, bid my parents farewell, and hopped on an overnight flight.
When I arrived in NYC early next morning, exhausted yet disparately exhilarated, I called up my friend to let her know I had arrived. I’d made arrangements to sleep on her couch for a week or two till I found my own place. She responded to my call with a devastating message—her grandmother had fallen ill and was moving in to live with them. In other words, I had no place to crash that night. I made some desperate scrambling and secured a $65 room at the YMCA for the next two days. Then I called up another random friend, who agreed to let me sleep on her futon for three or so weeks. But then she kicked me out early. Once again I was a vagabond.
After a month of hostel-hopping throughout the city, I was desperate to find a permanent place. I was tired of moving, tired of suffering through uncomfortable beds and loud hostel-mates, tired of throwing away clothes and toiletries to lighten my load.
While my fellow hostel-mates (all international kids around my own age) headed to the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and other bustling attractions, I sat hunched over my laptop in the lounge, scouring the housing ads on Craigslist. Then I made a discovery—a discovery that turned around my hapless situation and ultimately made my experience in New York City an inspiring one.
That discovery was the existence of Centro Maria Woman’s Residence. Centro Maria is one of several boarding houses in NYC. These boarding houses provide a safe and peaceful place to stay for hundreds of young people. Depending on the house, a person pays between $400 to $1,000 a month for a furnished room. Many of the rooms are single, but some are double or triple if you’d prefer a roommate. Several residences also provide meals, usually two a day.
So everything was provided for me at Centro Maria. I had a clean, furnished room, complete with a bed, dresser, desk, chair, and sink. I was given free home-cooked, delicious meals twice a day. I had access to a library, TV lounge, and computers. And all for $720 a month! But not only that, I was given a sense of community.
Centro Maria is run by the Sisters of Mary Immaculate. The Sisters genuinely care about each woman in the house. It is like having several moms who are all ready to lend a helping hand. I also have a great roommate; she is from South Korea and studying English here. And I’ve met so many friends during breakfast and dinner in the dining room downstairs.
I still remember how lonely I was when bumming from hostel to hostel during my first months in New York. I’d lay awake at night, listening to my hostel-mates chatter in their own language as they packed up their luggage for a midnight flight. I’m so thankful that I found Centro Maria, and I know the residence is a great option for students like you.
Perhaps you’re living somewhere temporarily, or somewhere that you don’t want to be. Maybe you’re tired of the dorms, or your roommate, or you’re running out of money and need an affordable place to live. Consider Centro Maria! You don’t only get a room here; you get a family. And who knows—maybe I’ll see you at the residence soon!
Contact Centro Maria at 212-757-6989 or cenmariany@mindspring.com to secure a room. Or check out the many other NYC boarding houses available at this website.
And, if you’d like to know more about student housing, pre-order our $9.95 NYC Student Guide today by emailing us at clip@campusclipper.com.
-Megan, Trinity University
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