Soak It All In
You Made It!
You're here! You’ve made it to NYU to study your heart out in pursuit of a degree that you are beyond excited about in a city as vibrant and dizzying as NYC. Maybe, like me, you just moved here and are still trying to understand why an avocado costs $4.00 (!?) and just how, exactly, you are supposed to register for classes. Or maybe you’ve lived in the city for a long time and aren’t sure if you’ll really be on campus much, what with your busy NYC life and all.
No matter what brought you here or what your expectations are, here are some ways to make the most of your time as an NYU grad student.
Grad Life
Did you know NYU has programming specifically for graduate students? In both the Fall and Spring, Grad Life puts on Welcome Weeks with up to 300 events just for graduate students. These events are a really fun way to meet students just like you who are studying in different programs across NYU. Want to check out the Observation Deck at the Empire State building? Grad Life has got you covered. Want to brunch with Faculty and the President? Grad Life can make it happen. In addition to both Welcome Weeks, Grad Life also hosts fun events throughout the year that are free or at a reduced cost. What better way to explore the city and meet new friends! For me, these events were part of what helped me to get to know the campus and start building my personal network in NYC.
Join a Club
One of the best ways to find community and to build your network at NYU is to join a club (or several!). Many schools have school-specific clubs that focus on different areas of interest to their field of study. Even as busy grad students juggling work, school, family and more, finding time to participate in what’s going on at your school can help you feel more connected and even be a good stress reliever. Many clubs host events at times when they know many students are already on campus, so check out your school’s schedule -- maybe there’s one that works perfectly with your class schedule! Joining a club or even attending events hosted by clubs can expose you to professionals in your field, give you an opportunity to explore topics you might be interested in outside of class, and, not to mention, help you make friends!
Scroll Through the NYU Calendar
With a graduate student population of over 20,000 there is always some event on campus showcasing the innovative research students and faculty are producing or an interesting lecture with invited guest speakers to inspire students. Look for events at schools outside of your own, like the one I attended last year from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study where I learned about linguistics research being done with bird calls. As an added benefit, many of these events have free food and an opportunity to network with the presenters!
Study Abroad
I cannot speak highly enough of the incredible opportunity NYU grad students have to study away. With over 14 global sites and many electives across all the schools taught in cities like Tel Aviv, Buenos Aires, Paris, and more, there’s no better way to make your NYU experience unique. In this globalized world, having international professional experience is invaluable in the job market, no matter your career!
Soak It All In
Being a student at a school like NYU can feel overwhelming, and many of us can get lost just trying to manage our homework load. But if you can take some time, and smell the roses -- the very *violet* roses you might find that grad school can mean more than just studying and lectures; it can open up a whole world of new ideas, experiences, and friendships.
