As an NYU graduate student, the East Village was the easiest, best location for me to live. My junior one-bedroom apartment -- located at East Fifth Street and Third Avennue -- was the afterclass hangout, and every happy hour bar was within a few blocks of me. I loved my location so much that I made do with the five flight walk up, the $2,000 rent and having absolutely no room for overnight guests. "Junior one bedroom" just meant there were French doors between my couch and my bed—very chic, not very practical.