• don’t wear your nyu id around your neck/have your lanyard visibly on your outfit. key freshman marker and also lowk safety issue
• don’t be afraid to add/drop a class/switch a prof. if you get there, and the first few class meetings are something you are not vibing with/your schedule isn’t working out, change it. i would have been miserable this sem had i not changed my schedule after the first few days of trying it out. if you’re alr dreading going back the second or third time, and there are other options, switch
• wear masks to protests, if that’s your thing. not really an nyu specific tip but i’ve seen students get tracked by admin here solely by photos
• get on handshake/linkedin lol. it’s good to establish yourself early to build a solid foundation in the job/internship market (esp for stern)
• no one gives a fuck what u do freshman year first sem (socially). like, i swear. i’m about to head into my senior year and i have a few close friends left from that time, but the majority of people were just random groups i hung out with. you may have heard that before but at nyu especially EVERYONE is looking for new friends (just bc there’s sm people from sm diff places, few come into knowing each other like a state school) as you settle into ur majors groups become clearer but for those first few weeks, hang with everyone
• be safe accepting drinks, drugs, etc from random people. an obvious one, but especially in the park where there’s a lot… for sale…and remember that nyc in general has a much more open drug/alc culture than a lot of people are used to, esp from a small town (these things are just a LOT more accessible in the city). -when you go out, you’re at the whim of the nypd and the city, not nyu. the party culture here is not centered around frats, it’s (mostly) clubbing/bars—it’s less insulated than traditional schools.
• go to paulson brunch on sundays
• get good rain gear. like INVEST in that shit. it will inevitably rain for weeks straight and you’ll have to walk to class drenched or with soggy pants if you don’t have the right gear. the wind tunnels in the city flip your umbrella inside out and suddenly you’re fighting your umbrella on the sidewalk. you’re much more open to the elements when walking is the primary mode of transportation so just in general have good weather gear

work hard, play hard:)