Go violet? I guess?

This semester, I have had the unique experience of spending half of my Mondays and Wednesdays down at the good old purple school, NYU. I signed up to take Gaelic at Columbia, just to learn that it is actually a language that is taught through the Columbia-NYU language exchange and would be downtown at the NYU campus. I knew nobody else who had ever gone through this process that included: signing up for classes on a completely different platform, navigating a new campus, and interacting with students and professors who were not accustomed to the Columbia everyday norm. The class has proven to be one of my favorites this Fall term, however, it has taken a lot to get used to. Below is a list of things I wish I had known before signing up for this class, some serious and some deeply not. 

  1. Yes, you will receive an NYU ID with access to their libraries and buildings. I have not yet abused this power, but trust I will be soon. Also, it is a fun keepsake to show your kids to remember that “one class you took downtown” in college.
  2. The commute is horrendous and WILL take over 30 minutes. Be sure to have at least an hour booked out for getting there and back just in case.
  3. Email your professor to ensure they know you’re a Columbia student- sometimes NYU has different days off than Columbia/switches up their class schedule when we do not. It is always important to check in with a new professor anyway, especially if you’re going to have to miss a class due to the school’s scheduling weirdness!
  4. It WILL be awkward on the first day when your professor asks everyone to raise their hand when they hear their school name (Stern, Tisch, etc.) and you pull out your laptop with a Barnard/Columbia sticker…lol
  5. Washington Square Park is so annoying to walk through (my pet peeve is slow walkers), and yet also the best people-watching you will get in your life. Stay alert, but also take some time to explore the area now that you’re technically a student in it!
  6. NYU does not use Courseworks like Columbia does- you will have to get familiar with a system called Brightspace. You will also probably miss a lot of reading because Brightspace is so confusing, I definitely already have.
  7. Barnard baddies, never fear, NYU kids do NOT dress cooler than we do… just a lot differently. If you really want to try and fit in, try wearing a tutu over jeans with your cowboy boots. It’ll be a #downtownlook for sure.
  8. Never fear, other Columbia students will most likely be in your class! There are at least two others in mine and it helps the nerves to know that there are other people in the class just as inexperienced with the school as I am.
  9. Also, yes, you might run into that one guy from TikTok who interviews people in Washington Square Park. He has never approached me and it is ruining my ego. TikTok man if you’re reading this, please come up to me with your oversized mic and ask where my fit is from I swear I’m kind of funny!
  10. All in all, taking a class at NYU is a really interesting experience and allows you to open up your college experience from just our little bubble up here. You get out into a different part of the city twice a week and are exposed to a lot of new, cool, people. Plus, access to the West Village and $1 pizza is always clutch.

And, on a final note, no, I have not seen Barron Trump yet. But trust my eyes are peeled and I am always watching, waiting…

NYU via Bwarchives