Advice for incoming students

Colleges and Universities A-Z New York University
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<p>As Move In Day and the start of classes approach for new students, I thought I'd start a thread where upperclassmen and their parents could post advice, tips, and things-I-wish-I-knew for new freshmen.</p>

<p>I'd like to stay away from "OMG I HEARD THIS IS IT TRUE?" type of questions - please do your research, consult the NYU website, and call the pertinent NYU offices and residence halls before asking questions. I'd also prefer if people who aren't sophomores, juniors, or seniors at NYU or their parents didn't post rumors or things-I-heard-from-my-sister's-boyfriend's-cousin.</p>

<p>As for myself, I'd like to offer the following:</p>

<p>1) On Move In Day, it's crowded, barely controlled chaos. Don't expect to get a cart to move your stuff, so if at all possible, try to bring wheeled suitcases or even your own little platform-with-wheels instead of big chunky boxes.</p>

<p>2) Take the stairs if you can. There is absolutely no reason for an able-bodied person living on lower floors carrying a few small items to wait for the elevator. Please be considerate of those for whom taking the elevator is not an option.</p>

<p>3) Get to know your RAs. They're a great resource for everything from making the party down the hall quiet down so you can sleep, getting help with homesickness, recommending great new classes to take, or just being there when you need to talk to someone. My RAs freshman year were great. Without them, I would've cracked.</p>

<p>4) Take advantage of all the great programs offered during the beginning weeks. Even if you're naturally shy, like me, go do things because you can meet new people, get to see new things, explore the city, and maybe even win a few prizes for attendance.</p>

<p>5) Put your best foot forward. Don't fake who you are, but don't let your stress and anxiety, which are totally natural, make you unpleasant to be around. People pick up on this, and you know what they say about first impressions.</p>

<p>6) My personal advice on packing? Pack everything you think you'll need. Then, take half the stuff out of the suitcases, and put it back. The remaining half will most likely all you need. :)</p>

<p>7) Don't freak out about textbooks. The line at the bookstore checkout will be long, but the staff really try to get things moving as fast as they can. Getting hostile will not help. :D Also, some shortages of books or lab kits are normal. Just tell your professors, and they will most likely be very understanding. The bookstore will restock as soon as they can. (While you're at the bookstore, I recommend getting a small stapler. Very useful!)</p>

<p>Anyone else have advice?</p>

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<p>Exactly which half of the stuff should we take out? And why? That's what's most pertinent to me since I've already packed.</p>

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<p>Going from California, it's gonna be hell to me.. </p>

<p>(hey, at least I made it to here from "north korea")</p>

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<p>Yea, because getting out of North Korea was the easy part, right? :)</p>

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<p>this is more pertinent to welcome week/move in day:</p>

<p>if you need help, ASK. there will be plenty of people around that can help you out, and you might make a new friend. welcome week leaders will be at the residence halls to answer questions and what not on move in day and everwhere else throughout the week, so don't be shy! we welcome week leaders love helping people!</p>

<p>when you take elevators (esp. in silver center), if someone presses 6, don't press 4 (the elevators stop on either all odd or all even floors). get off at 6 and walk down 2 flights. its easier to walk down than to walk up. </p>

<p>don't buy drugs from drug dealers in WSP. that should be common sense. </p>

<p>shades' advice #3 is very important. not only because they are a good resource for just about anything, but they may give you a heads up about who the RA's on duty are or will tell you to quiet down if your party is getting too rowdy without getting you into trouble.</p>

<p>getting trashed every day of welcome week may sound fun to begin with, but think again. you have a whole year to do that, get to know people/go to workshops, events, etc. instead, maybe drinking afterwards. BUT DON'T WASTE IT AWAY GETTING DRUNK EVERY AFTERNOON/NIGHT. i met a lot of my friends going to these events, and i probably wouldn't have done so had i not.</p>

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<p>I was planning on getting there around noon. I heard the lines die down a little by the afternoon...is this true? I'm in Rubin, so approx. 600-650 people moving in on move-in day.</p>

<p>Also, I was wondering, since I want to get my NYUcard the first day, as I'm assuming most people will want to do, how long will it take? And do they take a picture of you there meaning you have to wait for the card to be made
(I'm just wondering, seeing as how it would add time and because I don't want to look completely like crap)?</p>

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<p>I got my card made today, and i had to wait like 2 minutes for it to be printed. They take your picture right before they make the card.</p>

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<p>Yea, nightboy. I heard that it was by the elevator system that upperclassmen could tell who the freshman were.</p>

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<p>When can we go get our books? When will the bookstore be open, because I already have my book list.</p>

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<p>duobeef:</p>

<p>What I meant by that is that people tend to pack 5 sweaters, two dozen of their favorite novels, 20 pairs of underwear and socks, etc. I find that to be overkill for my own situation. I have two sweatshirts, 8 days worth of underwear/socks, and two favorite books that I know I don't get tired of reading.</p>

<p>There's no real reason for that other than reducing how much you have to lug around come Move In and Move Out Days.</p>

<p>the_nightboy: I usually agree with you, but I can't do so regarding the elevator issues. My feeling is that I've got the right to push "four" if I want/need to, and I don't need to justify why I don't want to or can't take the stairs. Of course, this is only valid if I'm on the right elevator. :) (For those of you who don't know, the Waverly elevators in Silver only go to odd floors, and the Washington Place elevators only go to even and the ninth floors.)</p>

<p>eji2006: To me, your question indicates that you didn't look up the NYU bookstore online. When you do that, you'll find a link to the bookstore's hours under the section for the main bookstore.</p>

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<p>Well shades, I love your posts, but wouldn't it have been easier to just answer my question?</p>

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<p>jeez, no need to get hostile.</p>

<p>And I second the "dont overpack" issue.. I know so many people who brought non-school books to read, and didn't even open them the whole year. Trust me, you're not going to read them, even if you think you are. There is so much to do in college (academically and socially), so those books are most likely going to end up just sitting there.</p>

<p>Also, take every opportunity to get to know your floormates. You're going to live with these people for a year, and you don't want to be the one antisocial kid on the floor whom nobody knows. Don't expect people to come to you, even though they probably will. Take the initiative to go out and be social, but don't be overtly in-your-face social...gauge their reaction; if they seem busy/shy at the moment, introduce yourself, let them know you're interested in getting to know them, and then let them go back to whatever they were doing. Keep you're dorm room door propped open while you're unpacking/setting up stuff. Then people can walk by and introduce themselves and things.</p>

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<p>It doesn't matter to the rest of us if you fight, guys...but don't ruin this thread because of it. This thread is very valuable and it has some really good advice. Take your fight somewhere else.</p>

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<p>I'm still kinda wondering about the move in times...Does it fizzle down in the afternoon?</p>

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<p>are the elevators something that we just have to explore ourselves, becuase it sounds very confusing...</p>

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<p>(sry, i just meant that do every buildng vary in their odd/even number level systems...)</p>

<p>also about moving in...</p>

<p>I'm in Hayden Hall...and since everyone is going to be there in the morning, would it be more wise to show up in the afternoon, or later...?</p>

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<p>Yes, its definitely more wise to show up in the afternoon, especially around 3-5 pm. You might not get first pick of beds, but the line will be MUCH shorter. It's up to you which you find more important..</p>

<p>The elevators aren't confusing at all. It's just that since there's so much traffic in silver center, there are two elevators programmed to only go to even numbered floors, and two others that only go to odd numbered floors. You'll figure it out easily once you're there. (But if you must know right now, the two on the east side go to odd floors, and the elevators on the west side go to even floors)</p>

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<p>
[quote]
BUT DON'T WASTE IT AWAY GETTING DRUNK EVERY AFTERNOON/NIGHT.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>waaaaiiiiit</p>

<p>are we even allowed to drink??</p>

<p>(or are we talking about making fake id's??)</p>

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<p>of course you're not allowed to drink. but when has that ever stopped anybody? Just have a shred of common sense and be smart about it. We we insanely paranoid at first, but by november everybody was running around drunk in the hallways and the entire floor reeked of pot. However, we had a pretty irresponsible RA too, so that might've been a special case.</p>

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<p>That's pretty disgusting....hopefully not the case in my room and floor...</p>