Tips for College Freshmen at New York University

Starting college is always a stressful time for any student, and it’s especially understandable why this is so for freshmen attending NYU. There are lots of new and different faces, you’re paying over $30k a year, and you’re in a gigantic, aggressive city. But don’t worry because in just a few years you’ll look back at the whole experience and laugh. For now, here are some tips to make your transition easier.

-Join a club that interests you. It’s easy to find a club that suits you, just ask your RA when the club fair will be (it’s usually the first or second week in September). That’s when all the clubs tell you what they’re about, and entice you to join. Sure, you’ll probably make a bunch of friends in your dorm your freshman year, but after that, dorms are not very social and chances are your freshmen dorm buddies won’t be living near you anymore. The friends you make in a club you enjoy, however, may very well be with you all four years and beyond. The best piece of advice you can get in college is to choose your friends wisely because the friends you make freshman year could be your friends the rest of your life.

-Don’t try to take on too much your first year. The workload you get in high school is much different from the workload in college and it could take a year before you’ve become fully adjusted. So for your first semester, if you’re joining the magic club and hockey team, accepting a part time job and partying every weekend - your grades will suffer the consequences.

-Enjoy your meal plan while you have it. Every freshman must have a meal plan, which entitles you to a selected number of meals at campus dining halls. After freshman year, most students do not keep a meal plan. This means going out and paying for all your meals yourself, and perhaps cooking a few as well.

-Any sort of stereotypes you had in high school leave at the door. The NYU community is just as diverse as Manhattan’s residents. This includes NYU’s students, faculty, administrators and other university employees.