<p>I'm a freshman at NYU and a tour guide, so I've learned a lot about the university and life in NYC that I was clueless about as a freshmen and wish I'd known, especially:</p>
<pre><code> Definitely get a FLEX meal plan, the traditional meal plans give you meals by week instead of by semester and you lose them if you don't use your allottment for the week. Also, the traditional have restricted hours of use so FLEX is definitely the way to go. Everyone here would tell you that.
Also, get to know the staff at your building, including the front desk clerks, the gaurds, and the dining hall staff. They are awesome people and there are lots of perks. The gaurds won't make you get your ID out everytime you go in or out because they know who you are, the dining hall people will make you special dishes or let you have the candy/chips/soda for free, and the front desk people will let you know if you got a package way before they deposit everyone elses package slips in their mailbox.
Keep your door open. I relaize some of the rooms are really nice and you like your privacy and want to relax, but it's so much easier to meet people and make friends if you have an open door policy when you are hanging out in your room.
Say hi to everyone your first few weeks. If you don't, time will get away from you and you'll realize it's been a semester and you don't know half the people in your building. Take that time in the elevator/laundry room/mailroom to introduce yourself. You're all freshmen, you're all new, and everyone wants to make friends...so put yourself out there!
If you have anymore questions, feel free to post and otherwise, congrats if you got in and I hope you come!
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<p>thanks for the tips! a couple questions:
1. Is there any reason why people would get weekly meal plans... are they cheaper?
2. how did you become a tour guide? is it work study? and is it fun being a tour guide?</p>
<p>1) if i get a FLEX 225, is that enough to eat for the whole semester? (assuming that I will eat most of the time, except weekends). how many weeks of sem r there?</p>
<p>2) how is the overall meal? does the menus change daily?</p>
<p>3) do u think the courseload is managable in general? (relative to HS)</p>
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<li><p>I am sure that 225 meals will be more than enough for a semester, I believe it breaks down to about 10-12 meals a week, and you generally won't use all of those, so you should be fine. I have 175 and I still have 70 left with 4 weeks left in the semester, so that could give you a better idea. You can always get fewer meals for the Spring semester if you feel its too much. The weekly meal plans are a tad cheaper but FLEX is sooo worth it, trust me. </p></li>
<li><p>Being a tour guide is great! You can apply in November every year, as early as your freshmen year like me, and the hours are flexible and the people are fun. I highly recommend it; no work study needed!</p></li>
<li><p>The food is delicious! And I'm not just saying that either, because online I can tell the truth. They have great pizza, sandwiches, burgers, pasta and homemade stuff as well. Always a salad bar with fresh veggies, always different soups, and the breakfasts are great: pancakes, bacon, bagels, cereal, etc. Whatever you like. And there is a good variety of dining halls too so you don't get bored with the same thing.</p></li>
<li><p>I've found the course load moderate to pretty heavy depending on the course. My general education classes are generally less intense and the courses for my major do sometimes leave me up late into the night. But as long as you don't procrastinate (like me!) it is all extremely manageable. Just be careful not to avoid work too long or it will pile up! Try to keep on top of things and balance your courses for each semester, some heavy workload, some lighter.</p></li>
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<p>I'm trying to decide between traditional and apartment style residence hall and was wondering if on campus one or the other is considered to have more parties or more students who party inside of hte residence halls.</p>
<p>It's really up to you, I mean you find parties at all dorm types. Apartment style are larger rooms but they're futher from campus (about 10 extra blocks) so either way you go it'll be fine. (also, you may not want rubin, brittany and university hall though, i havent met many people from those dorms so I don't know much about them.)</p>
<p>^ I hope you don't mention that on the tours! Is there any way to apply for 'heterosexual housing'? I support the rights of LGBTers, but would feel a bit uncomfortable living with a lesbian. yaaknow.</p>
<p>Trial by Fire: As a Peer Ed for NYU's Office of LGBT Student Services, I feel like I have to jump in here. Why do you think a potential lesbian roommate would be attracted to you, presumably a straight female? Are you afraid you'll be sexually harassed?</p>
<p>nope, I don't presume to flatter myself! I just thought it would be akward if they brought anyone back to the room. For the past year, I have been living with a gay male, and he does this all the time.</p>
<p>It might have been equally awkward if your roommate had brought home a strange guy. :D If I were you, I wouldn't worry about it - when you meet your roommate(s), have a room meeting to discuss living standards and stuff. Your RA will talk about that, too.</p>