In NYC my experience is that the equity vests in four years, with one year "cliffs" for four years. The three-year, the "monthly", the other stuff I hear about

In NYC my experience is that the equity vests in four years, with one year "cliffs" for four years. The three-year, the "monthly", the other stuff I hear about is fantastical to me. And the equity isn't ever really life-altering. Maybe I'm on the wrong coast?