Questions People Ask Me as an NYU Ambassador

The answer is yes, absolutely! You just have to be willing to find it. There are so many sources of community on campus, including sports teams, clubs, and Greek life, just to name a few. I found my closest friends in my first and second years through on-campus jobs and studying away. However, it is never too late to make those connections.

During the first semester of my junior year, I joined a club called Dancers/Choreographers Alliance (DCA). Before coming to college, I had danced for 15 years. I really missed having that outlet at NYU. So, I decided to look for it despite being halfway through my academic years. I am so incredibly glad I did! DCA classes are something I look forward to every week, and performing our routines to friends and family at the end of each semester is so rewarding. This club helped me embrace the NYU community even more than before!

NYU students might seem like they are doing a million things at once. Oftentimes, that is actually the case! Our academic schedules can be very flexible, so we are able to dedicate time to both NYU-related and external endeavors. For me, a typical semester includes 18 credits worth of classes, shifts at the Admissions Center and the Writing Center, DCA rehearsals, and an internship. I build my schedule strategically to make all of this work, blocking Mondays through Wednesdays for academics and on-campus jobs, nights for dance, and Thursdays and Fridays for internship responsibilities. Each of these fulfills me in one way or another, so I enjoy finding a busy balance. That said, you don’t have to stick with every extracurricular you try. It is good to experiment to see what you like best and how much time you need for each component of your student life.

Studying away is not for everyone, but if you’re looking to do it, NYU is the place for you. We have 13 global sites, plus our three degree-granting campuses, across six different continents. What I love about these sites is that each one is a mini-NYU campus away from your home campus. NYU isn’t sending you to some partner university. Your purple ID will get you into buildings. Your Wi-Fi connects as soon as you arrive. These small, familiar things make it much easier to acclimate to a new environment.

Also, with proper planning, you can study away in the capacity that suits you best. During the 2023 January Term, I went to NYU London and the Jurassic Coast of England for 10 days to complete a biodiversity class. During the spring 2023 semester, I spent four months in Florence, which was one of the most exciting experiences of my life. This just goes to show that NYU doesn’t limit you. Rather, our school is flexible in supporting your academic journey both domestically and globally.

They are one of the very best parts of the experience. I can’t put into words how grateful I am for the amazing people I have met here! My friends are the most supportive, kind people, and I always look up to them. They are also wildly successful at what they are doing, and they inspire me to put my best foot forward. On a broader level, if I had to describe our student body in three adjectives, I would say that we are an ambitious, eclectic, and collaborative bunch. You will never meet someone just like you at NYU, which makes every conversation that much more interesting.

College life comes at you fast, which can be scary at first, but you will learn to adjust. Similarly, NYU will be the source of many good things that happen to you in your adult life. While these moments of change may be jarring, they are transformative and encourage you to grow.

Additionally, NYU offers so many resources. Whether you are looking to complete research in other parts of the world or make friends who share your interests, there are spaces dedicated to actualizing those aspirations. The more activities you try, the more fun you may have! For more advice, check out my article on what I wish I knew before coming to NYU. Thinking back on my first three years and sharing those thoughts is so gratifying and so exciting. I am proud of everything I have accomplished here. Now, I am looking forward to seeing new students navigate such a pivotal experience!