SZGriff

Being a fan of the local team is most common but no one cares, people have different motivations for following teams. Band wagon fans are probably most broadly disliked.

How do you feel about this jury duty?

Posted by Axxtr@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 199 comments

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In practice a lot of people continue to be paid normally by their jobs but I agree that this should be universal. It’s an imperfect system but it protects the accused, you can waive your right to a trial by jury if you think that a judge will be more fair. I served once, I genuinely thought that we tried to make the correct decision.

Is drinking & driving a common occurrence in America?

Posted by Saint0591@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 140 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Yeah basically, maybe not like three sheets to the wind drunk but lot of people will drive after a few beers. In most places here you need to drive to get to the bar.

Were you allowed to leave school grounds?

Posted by palep_hoot@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 953 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

NYC here and nope we weren’t.

How many steps do you walk daily without intentionally exercising?

Posted by GlitteringHotel8383@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 469 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Looks like 9-10k not counting running for exercise. Office worker in NYC with a dog.

How common is it for White Americans to wear traditional European clothing (kilts, lederhosen, tracht, vyshyvanka....etc) in ceremonies and in public places?

Posted by TheShyBuck@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 911 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Definitely rare, its probably most commonly worn by folk dance troupes. I have a Polish friend who is a 2nd gen (child of immigrants) who wore folk clothing for his wedding, I have another who's a highlander and dresses up for the Pulaski parade. Shitty lederhosen are commonly worn as a costume at Oktoberfest but that's probably not what you're asking.

Do you go to Disneyland/Disneyworld yearly?

Posted by Expensive-Elk-9406@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 218 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

1000 is a massive low ball, that's a per day budget. But no, most people will never go. Of those that do most will go once or twice but there is a small group of fanatical fans that spend all their cash and pto at the parks (I don't understand the draw either.)

Are there practical reasons to refrain from wearing Letterman Jackets after high school or university?

Posted by giggling_in_a_corner@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 466 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

It's just lame, no other reason. Maybe downgrade it to a chore/work jacket if you really want to be eco friendly or just save it as a cool memory to show your kids. But it really cannot be over stated how "peaked in high school" it is to wear one after the age of 18.

Are there any nice American airports?

Posted by ex1nax@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 106 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

MSP is an all around great airport, Terminal 3 (Delta) of LGA is also legitimately nice post renovation.

What kind of bonuses do American jobs offer?

Posted by WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHW@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 706 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

It's really all over the place. I would say that in most white collar office jobs you'll be paid for bank holidays, 20-30 vacation days and be able to participate in various tax advantaged spending programs (transit, dependent care, etc). Sometimes companies will offer life insurance while you work there. Cash/stock bonuses are very industry specific, most jobs won't pay significant bonuses while in others such as finance bonuses can be larger than your salary.

Do you think this subreddit, and reddit as a whole, is an accurate reflection of real life poeple in the United States?

Posted by PandaRider11@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 106 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

This sub is right of reddit but left of the country.

Eastern US Skiing?

Posted by West-Astronaut8515@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 110 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Check out r/icecoast, it’s named that for a reason. Mad River Glen in Vermont is famous for almost no snowmaking and banning snow boarders.

What lifestyle would someone earning $100k a year afford where you live?

Posted by maugess@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 546 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Where in manhattan can you buy anything today making 100k? Maybe 20 years ago.

Do you guys carry, and accept if you sell something, large sums of cash?

Posted by Maximum-Scientist462@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 996 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

No one carries that much cash day to day, I usually walk around with \~200 but using physical cash for a person to person transaction is common. I don't think that anyone would think twice about anything under 20k or so. I used to work at a bank, the craziest thing I saw was a person take out 400k to buy a house, still not sure why they did that. We submitted a suspicious activity report and ordered the money and had them come back in a few days.

People who grew up in New York City in the 70-90s, how many of your childhood friends still live in the city?

Posted by PureChampionship3993@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 30 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

A decent amount are still here but almost none of them are in market rate housing. Surprisingly only a few move far away, most of those that moved away are still within commuting distance.

Why are your bin men on the streets?

Posted by ObjectiveCareless934@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 236 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

NYC is transitioning to standardized trash cans. Historically a lack a standardization necessitated manual loading. Sanitation workers commonly make over 100k and have a great retirement plan, I think they're paid pretty well.

What does a 6 figure paycheck mean?

Posted by fostermonster555@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 504 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Normally when people say this they refer to your total income before taxes (salary + bonus + equity) but exclude employer contribution to retirement, insurances or any other benefits. Can be anything between 100K and a 1 million a year which is kind of a useless range but colloquially means "a good salary." Taxes vary by state and sometimes locality, a website like smart asset gives you a pretty good idea. In NYC where I live a single person would net around 70K on a 100K salary, this would be reduced by the cost of health insurance and employee retirement contributions. Quality of life varies wildly, depending on where you live and if make 100K or 999K. In NYC 100k will get you a comfortable but not extravagant life style as a single person but you'd struggle to raise a family unless you have support network.

What's Your Take on Exchange Programs?

Posted by AcousticAce__@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 307 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

It's a space thing. Only the wealthy have a spare room in NYC. Besides if you're looking for a stereotypical American high school experience, the NYC one is very different.

How much does a good university/ college matter?

Posted by Terrible_Onions@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 199 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

It definitely depends. As a whole the US cares less about degrees than Asia and Europe. That said, in practice it does matter for certain fields. In my industry, finance, employers recruit for the most desirable roles at elite schools. Going to one of the Ivys or similarly prestigious schools makes it much more likely to get on a high potential career path. I used to work for one of the big name hedge funds, I was the only state school kid on my floor. Same largely applies to law, medicine, academia etc. There are plenty of jobs where having a degree is a yes/no question and the specifics don't matter.

How to leave a hospital alone?

Posted by mapnet@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 408 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

There are medical escort services for exactly this.

Non Irish-Americans, are you going to have corned beef/cabbage on Monday?

Posted by Mental_Freedom_1648@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 647 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

NYC - yeah probably, its a once a year thing but most bars will be serving it, sometimes for free.

How much are you paying for alcohol in America?

Posted by Dabeast45654@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 585 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Costco in ocean side Long Island sells kirkland brand liquor.

What is going on with housing prices in America?

Posted by Exact-Bonus-9094@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 170 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

And yet cities are more expensive than ever.

Do American undergrads drink beer in pubs?

Posted by NotYourSweetBaboo@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 115 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

An on campus bar would probably be pretty strict about checking ID. Most college towns will have off campus bars known for not checking too closely.

Americans, is Good Friday not a public holiday there?

Posted by SunBubble920@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 306 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Its a stock market holiday. Finance people have off but it isn’t universal.

Have you ever considered leaving the US?

Posted by Due_Definition_3763@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 28 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

I’d consider moving to Europe if it wasn’t a 70% pay cut.

How bad are mosquitoes, bugs and insects in American cities during summer? Especially cities located near rivers?

Posted by Sonnycrocketto@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 79 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Western queens

How bad are mosquitoes, bugs and insects in American cities during summer? Especially cities located near rivers?

Posted by Sonnycrocketto@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 79 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Mosquitos are definitely an issue in NYC. Never understood the euro aversion to window screens. Do Y’all like to suffer?

Is weightlifting popular in USA gym ?

Posted by bobdylan_In_Country@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 71 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Strength training with weights is, the olympic sport not really.

Manual or automatic gear?

Posted by No-Way-6986@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 146 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

There’s no manual vs automatic distinction for licenses. The vast majority of Americans drive automatics. Manuals are an enthusiast item.

Barbour jackets?

Posted by AltruisticWoodworker@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 61 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

They’re definitely a thing in NYC. It’s more of a preppy/upper middle professional class look though. If it works for your style go for it.

When you invite people to celebrate your birthday at a restaurant, do you pay or does everyone pay for their food and drink?

Posted by FantasticSchedule29@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 54 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

In my circle the etiquette for birthday dinners was that every one pays for themselves and portion of the birthday persons share so that they don’t pay. Also in NYC fwiw.

Immigrants in America/Bilingual americans who speak a language whose script is Latin- While speaking in English and have to use a word from that other language that you speak, do you pronounce the word in the native pronunciation or the Englishisized one?

Posted by threwyouaway123321@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 89 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

I’ll use the American English pronunciation if it’s a familiar word. In my case I speak Polish, I would say Warsaw but probably use the Polish pronunciation of some random small town. I’ll try to use people’s preferred pronunciations of their names.

Is NYC really as expensive as people think it is?

Posted by Key-Manufacturer5058@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 166 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

I mean sure it’s a nice quiet middle class neighborhood. It isn’t anyone’s NYC dream.

Christmas cards?

Posted by Intrepid-Camel-9797@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 36 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

It’s pretty common for people with young kids.

Is NYC really as expensive as people think it is?

Posted by Key-Manufacturer5058@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 166 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

The parts of it that people tend to move to are. There are cheaper parts too but no one is coming to NYC to live in Glendale.

Do many American employees really not take vacation?

Posted by John198777@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 520 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

It depends, lower wage workers definitely get screwed on vacation. I have a pretty nice white collar job and we get 5-6 weeks off plus sick days and holidays. No issues taking time off, but it would be hard to take more than 2ish weeks at once.

What careers in America are currently "oversaturated" in your opinion?

Posted by lost-in-earth@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 810 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Lmao, I was in an accounting adjacent job for a few years. The jobs actually suck, poor comp for the education, lots of hours, boring work, and no one notices what you do unless you screw up. I’m incredibly grateful to be doing something else now.

Americans with degrees but no debts, how do you do it?

Posted by blahajlover26@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 661 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

I graduated from bing in 2010 and was instate, rent off campus was like ~300 a month. I was honestly a steal. Even SUNY is significantly more expensive today than it was then. Sure the campus is much nicer but also significantly more expensive. Its sad.

Americans with degrees but no debts, how do you do it?

Posted by blahajlover26@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 661 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

I went to SUNY, tuition was like 5k a year.

Do you guys have Tap and Go everywhere?

Posted by Smallmercie@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 142 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Ehh, it common enough but you’ll definitely need a back up form of payment.

Dual citizens: what kind of experiences have you had traveling with 2 passports?

Posted by ArritzJPC96@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 45 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

Same process, my parents are both polish. It took a few months to get the passport as an adult but I had an expired pre EU passport so I didn’t have to prove citizenship. The more out of date your documents are the longer it’ll take. Especially if you’re relying PRL era stuff.

Dual citizens: what kind of experiences have you had traveling with 2 passports?

Posted by ArritzJPC96@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 45 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

At least for Poland you’re supposed to enter on a Polish passport if you’re a citizen. That said, its not like the immigration officer can can easily check if you are. Plenty of people use their American passports exclusively but you can in theory be denied entry. It seems like they decide to crack down every couple of years. Never had US immigration question it.

Dual citizens: what kind of experiences have you had traveling with 2 passports?

Posted by ArritzJPC96@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 45 comments

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SZGriff@reddit

US/Poland here. I us the US one unless I’m entering the EU then I use the Polish one. Saves me some time waiting in line but that’s about it. What kind of experiences are you wondering about? EU work authorization is a much bigger potential benefit.