The NYU Experience as Told by Gossip Girl

Let’s breakdown some “facts” from Gossip Girl.

• Starting with GG’s most notorious agent of chaos: Miss Georgina Sparks. In the show, it’s mentioned that Georgina is  enrolled at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study. At NYU Gallatin, students self-design their own course of study over their four years, which is very fitting for someone like Georgina who 100% plays by her own rules. 

• What about Georgina requesting to be Blair’s roommate without her consent? 100% not true. While you can request a specific roommate at NYU, it needs to be a mutual request. Requesting to live with your best friend at NYU is totally possible! Is it the best idea? Debatable. College is such a great time to branch out and meet new people! For those willing to step out of their comfort zone and make a new friend, NYU has a really popular randomized roommate matching system.

• Residence halls: the one featured in Gossip Girl doesn’t actually exist. But we do have a residence hall on fifth avenue called Rubin Hall. So if you want to live out your Fifth Avenue dreams, this might be your residence hall.

• Is popularity the be-all and end-all? Typical Blair behavior trying to get queen bee status before she even starts college. NYU culture doesn’t feel hierarchical. In high school, popularity felt really important, but never once did I feel that way about NYU.

• Blair in a residence hall? Possible. (Perhaps part of her plan for NYU domination?) Blair thinking she got a single? Unlikely but also possible. Singles exist at NYU and can also be requested for reasonable accommodation. What’s not possible? Her room decor. Wallpaper is forbidden. Her chandelier is probably a violation too. Bringing a whole desk and wardrobe? Impossible. There are university regulations on which objects you can bring, and large furniture is not one of them. 

• Dan opted to stay living in Brooklyn. It’s definitely possible! First-year students, especially commuters, can live off campus. Blair could easily commute to NYU from the Upper East Side if she wanted. NYU students are never required to live on campus. 

• Chuck Bass objecting to Blair living in the residence halls? Well first, he had UNFOUNDED objections. What are the chances Chuck Bass has ever actually been to an NYU residence hall? Describing them with fluorescent lighting and communal bathrooms just proves he hasn’t. All residence halls (even for first-years) will have en suite bathrooms.

• Chuck Bass calls NYU students “scared, vulnerable freshmen needing someone to guide them.” In my humble opinion, it’s a very misconstrued way of representing NYU students. That’s beside the point though! If you are feeling scared during your first days at NYU, we have an amazing NYU Welcome program with ways to get to know the campus and other students.

• Serena reassures Dan that he doesn’t need to worry about making friends! TRUE TRUE TRUE. As someone who moved multiple times as a child, I KNOW how hard it can be to start over and make new friends. There are so many ways to make friends. NYU genuinely tries to make it as easy as possible. Whether it be from NYU Welcome, classes, clubs, or even a school event, there are endless ways to meet new people.

• Georgina says “Go Bobcats.” TRUE, the official NYU mascot is the Bobcat, although many think it’s the Violet.

• First-year students move in and start school immediately? Not true. Most will move in a week before school officially starts, and that week is completely dedicated to NYU Welcome!

• A quote from Gossip Girl: “NYU is hell.” “What do you expect from a place where men wear sandals?” Honestly, I’ve seen NYU men wear all sorts of shoes!

• Blair’s NYU experience makes it seem like making friends is hard. Like when people don’t show up to her sushi party. 100% not true. There are clubs with endless niches, so if a sushi party is your type of thing, you’ll definitely find the people for it at NYU.

• Blair starting a club to um…create a new community? Her motivations are questionable but this is totally possible! Students are able to create their own clubs if they can’t find something they’re looking for from the 300+ clubs available.

• Dan storming into Vanessa’s room? Not possible! Even as an NYU student, if you live in another residence hall or off campus, you’ll need someone to sign you in fr security reasons. You won’t need to worry about any surprise confrontations. 

• Blair getting flowers delivered right to her suite door? While really nice, it is not possible! NYU residence halls have a mail room and mailboxes. You will go to the mail room whenever you have a package and talk to the residence hall assistant on duty. For smaller letters and packages, you can pick it up directly from your mailbox!

• Olivia getting another big movie deal and needing time off from college? Totally possible! NYU allows students to take leave if you need.

Hopefully this clears up a few things and makes you excited to (basically) live out your Gossip Girl dreams at NYU!

xoxo