Author: Nesrine Chettah

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Lifestyle NYC

Friends Apartment

Friends Apartment

 

Long before online streaming and binge-watching, both TV shows and movies, are the way most spend our evenings. Sitcoms were the “it” form of entertainment as many rushed home after a long day at work, possibly gathering at friend’s apartments for a take-out and TV show gathering. This was a time when every family member was glued to their TV after dinner to catch up on their favorite show.

One of the most popular sitcoms at the time was a show called Friends. This show went on for more than a decade, totaling 236 gut laughing, real-life episodes. Friends enjoyed one of the highest ratings to date, even in a time filled with new content and even more shows for the modern family to enjoy.

There was more to Friends than just the laughs. It was a show that combined entertainment, life lessons, and influenced different cultures in many ways. For example, throughout the over 200 episodes, the show revolved around friends spending most of their time in Monica Geller’s apartment, which was located in the West Village of New York. Monica was a chef, but how did she manage to pay rent for this spacious apartment remains a mystery, more than 25 years after the first broadcast.

How Monica afforded her apartment

The expensive apartment Monica rented was inherited from her grandmother after she relocated to a retirement home in Florida. According to the show, Monica’s grandmother’s rent was rent-controlled at $200, the same amount she’d been paying since the 1940s.

Rent-controlled is still intact today, the rent control policy was enacted in 1971 by the then US President Richard Nixon. The policy prevented landlords from taking advantage of housing shortages in several US cities, for example, Florida and New York, cities with high rental populations.

Monica’s apartment real worth

Monica’s apartment was a large two-bedroom, with a spacious living area. It came with a storeroom and a storage unit. The walls were painted in purple which was the color of the time, and the kitchen included modern cabinets. This was considered a luxury for a $200 per month apartment, considering the large space, estimated at 1500 square feet. Definitely, larger than an ordinary 2-bedroom apartment in any large city.

Real estate experts estimated Monica’s apartment to cost upwards of $3,500 per month then and in today’s market, a real estate broker would estimate it at around $14,000.

If the property was to be sold in the current market, it would cost well over two million-plus, especially in the West Village, one of New Yorks’s premier real estate areas.

How an ordinary cook could afford to live and host her friends in such a high-end apartment? Rent control and a lot of great friends as roommates to share in the cost.

This was where this group of young adults became great FRIENDS and enjoyed their youth in New York City, one of the greatest cities in the world.

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Health Uncategorized

NYC Has an Abundance of Therapists. So Why Are We Experiencing an Increase in Mental Illness?

NYC Has an Abundance of Therapists. So Why Are We Experiencing an Increase in Mental Illness?

 

New York City has one of the highest amounts of therapists per capita in the United States. Compared to Nevada, which has only about 5 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, New York City has as many as 30.

Despite the relatively high number of therapists in the country, the state of mental health seems to be worsening and has been doing so for quite some time. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the reasons that mental health his worsening in New York City.

Decisions Made by the State

One of the first things to know is that many of the decisions regarding the mental health facilities available to people in New York City aren’t made by the local city hall; they’re made by the State. And the State is not known for making fantastic decisions.

One decision that was made fairly recently by Governor Andrew Cuomo demanded the closing of unnecessary beds in psychiatric facilities. The funds that would be saved from eliminating these beds were to be redirected into community funds – however, these beds may still be needed by patients.

This is a crisis situation, especially considering the fact that there are so many mentally unwell people in need of help living on the streets of New York. Add in the fact that only 39% of people in NYC with a serious mental health issue get treated for their illness, and this could be deemed as much worse than a ‘crisis’. Instead of being treated by psychiatrists, they are often arrested by police, ignored by passers-by, and left to their own devices. Some 40% of the homeless people in NYC are believed to be extremely mentally unhealthy.

The only services that are really offered to these people are mental health shelters. Unfortunately, since the inpatient care system for mental health patients was effectively dismantled several years ago, many of the severely mentally ill people who are in need of long-term treatment are unable to get it.

The Rest of the Population

It’s not just the city’s homeless people that struggle with mental health problems, though they may be the most visible. About one in five New York citizens struggle with some sort of mental health disorder, and about 8% of the total population struggle from depressive symptoms.

That means that there are about half a million New Yorkers struggling with depression at any given time. Unfortunately, less than 40% of these people are getting help for their problems. This is currently the leading cause of disability amongst the non-homeless population in New York.

Statistics are pretty bad among all different populations, especially students. 8% of students attending public school say that they’ve tried to commit suicide at some point, and almost 100,000 students say that they feel hopeless every month.

College students don’t seem to have worked through these problems, either. Just over a quarter of college students report experiencing anxiety, and just under 20% regularly have depressive symptoms. Just 1 in 10 of these people seeking help for their problems.

Conclusion – What Can We Do?

The mental health situation in New York is getting worse, and not for lack of resources. If you think that you’re struggling with a mental health problem, the best thing that you can do is seek therapy. 

If a therapist is not available, or if you’re wary about seeking a therapist, then you should educate yourself. There is no harm in pursuing your own education about possible mental health problems, and doing so can help you understand these conditions and work through them on your own.

Practicing meditation, exercising, and getting enough sleep every night are other good ways to keep your mental health in check. 

If you believe that your mental health could be improved, don’t hesitate to seek a therapist.

 

Categories
Business Finance

Creating A Working Business Strategy For 2020

Creating A Working Business Strategy For 2020
Photo by Helena Lopes from Pexels

2020 is still likely to be a great year for the economy despite what some in the media think is a recession looming over the nation. But there are many changes that have taken place and will continue to take place that business owners should be aware of, and here’s a few strategies they may want to consider implementing for their businesses.

Consider What Kinds Of New Technologies You Want To Utilize

Some businesses are a little reluctant to buy into new technology because they aren’t sure if it’s worth the cost. You definitely need to be able to test new technologies you’re considering buying and research what your potential ROI could be, but if you fail to change any part of your business and adapt to the new technology landscape, your competitors probably will and then pass you by as a result. Many new technologies that are becoming a part of today’s retail spaces are cashless electronic payment systems, advance ordering and delivery, integrating apps into the shopping experience and many new disruptive services. That doesn’t mean you have to do away with all your old legacy systems, but you should be aware of how profitable new technologies can make sales.

Evaluate And Implement A Great Marketing Plan

To begin a phase of growth and get where you want to go, you have to be ready to implement an innovative marketing plan that can bring positivity and enthusiasm about your brand to your customers. Old marketing methods aren’t done yet because after all, customers will still read flyers and brochures if you pass them out, and people still listen to radio and watch TV. But word of mouth also tends to spread online as well, and it’s here that people like to gain information about your business. That’s why you should have a plan to use SEO marketing, social media, email and an online reviews page to get your message out.

Have A Plan In Place For Emergencies

Any business owners will tell you that there will be times where you have to balance your business finances and personal finances. It is wise not to mix both. So, what do you do in the case of a sudden personal financial crisis, such as an unexpected emergency auto repair, when you have invested most of your savings into your business? If you find yourself in times of unexpected personal financial need, but are short on cash, you could consider online loans from direct lenders. Just as in business, there will be ups and downs in life. It’s best not to let your business go underwater to cover an unexpected personal expense.

Have A Plan For Managing Employee Slow Periods

Like every year, 2020 will probably have a few fast-paced and very slow periods you have to get through. This usually means taking a close look at your budget and sometimes having to make cuts or looking at how you can manage your employee tasks a little differently. Sometimes it pays to reassign employees to new tasks when your budget gets a little tighter, and sometimes you have to cut down on temporary or seasonal employees. But using down periods to take up projects that have been put on the back burner and encourage further employee training can help you get through these times.

As 2020 approaches, you can go into it fairly confident about the direction of your business if you’ve taken the time to review your finances and know what kind of risk your growth plan entails. But always be willing to adapt if things don’t quite go the way you had hoped.