When Cristy moved from Houston to teach at an immersion school, she had no idea she’d also end up balancing a master’s degree, a global group of friends, and a whole new city all at once. Webster gave her the stability to do it all: no cooking, no grocery runs, no apartment hunting stress, just space to focus on her students, her thesis, and figuring out New York on her own terms. We caught up with Cristy to hear about her years at Webster, the community she built, and where life has taken her since.
Q: What year(s) were you at Webster, and where were you moving from — what brought you to NYC specifically?
Cristy: I lived at Webster from the summer of 2017 through the spring of 2020. I moved from Houston to continue my teaching career after receiving a job offer at an immersion school in the city.
Q: You actually wrote your thesis while living at Webster — what was it like balancing that kind of work with everything else going on?
Cristy: In 2017, I began my master’s degree in Educational Psychology, and I’m not going to lie — balancing a new job, a new city, and graduate school was intense. One of the reasons I loved the Webster is that it allowed me to “block out” so much of the noise and stress that comes with adult life: cooking, grocery shopping, buying furniture, laundry. Everything I needed was already there! All my mental energy was directed into studying and preparing my lessons at the Web’s Library. After dinner, I would head down to the library or one of the parlors with a table and spend hours reading and writing. In 2019, when I began my thesis, I practically lived in the library from early morning until late at night. I loved that I could step outside for a coffee or snack and instantly be in the middle of NYC with all its buzzing energy. And when I needed inspiration, I’d go up to the rooftop and read and study there.
Q: As a student, what made Webster feel safe in a way that mattered more than it might for someone local — and how did that give your parents peace of mind being so far away?
Cristy: I didn’t have to worry about groceries or cooking, which was huge. At work, I kept hearing everyone’s chaotic moving stories — how hard it was to find a place, how expensive everything was — and every single time, I told them about the Webster. People were shocked that such a place existed.
Local friends often had their parents’ apartments or built‑in networks. For someone new to the city, the Webster became a springboard: a place to understand how NYC works and, most importantly, to meet friends from all over the world. After one of the girls from France went back home, I visited Paris and she showed me around. We continued to send each other letters and check in from time to time by text.
When I told my parents about it, they immediately understood it was safe. I even told my whole family about Charles Webster, his plan for Macy’s workers, and how this was where I lived. To anyone who visited, I would show the little street plaque that explained the story of how the Webster came about. When they visited, they saw the community I had built, how friendly and caring the staff was, and it gave them real peace of mind.
Q: How did the Webster community help you navigate being far from home — practically and emotionally?
Cristy: The special events made a huge difference. The movie nights, the Christmas party, and the summer dinners outside helped me meet people, feel connected, and build friendships that grounded me during those early years away from home. We started a book club at the Web and continued it for years after. We celebrated each other’s job milestones and birthdays. In 2024, we had a “reunion” at Camp Webster – We met at Maggie’s North Carolina’s home and made a Parent Trap-themed reunion. It was EPIC and amazing.
Q: Where are you now (career, country, next step), and how do you see Webster as part of what made that possible?
Cristy: I’m still in NYC, living on the Upper West Side and teaching at a private school in the city. During COVID, three of my Webster friends and I moved into an apartment and spent the lockdown together, which was incredibly lucky since everyone was distanced. I fell in love with the Upper West Side and continue to live here with my sweet little dog.
Living at the Webster bought me time to truly understand how the city worked and to figure out whether I wanted to stay. It gave me stability, community, and the breathing room to make thoughtful decisions about my future.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone looking to move to NYC?
Cristy: NYC is incredible, but it’s also overwhelming. Why not start giving yourself a stable base? New York is exciting, but the logistics hit fast: housing, groceries, commuting, paperwork, and figuring out neighborhoods and meeting like-minded people. Beginning in a place that already provides safety, structure, and a built‑in community removes a huge amount of stress.
Cristy’s story is proof that Webster isn’t just a place to land, it’s a place to build a life. Nearly seven years later, she’s still in the city she fell in love with, with the same friends she met over movie nights and book club. Her advice says it all: give yourself a stable base, and let the rest of New York unfold from there.
Find your people, find your place, at Webster Apartments. You can learn more about calling Webster home here.
