<p>Just like a lot of other things you may have heard about NYU, it's just a stereotype. I've definitely encountered my fair share of snobby Sternies who think of themselves as the smartest people at NYU and look down upon other people from other schools. But of course there's tons of people who are laidback about the whole Stern thing. While the Stern curriculum naturally separates you from being in a lot of classes with non-Sternies, there are tons of opportunities to meet and hang out with other people.</p>
<p>I, for one, am pretty laidback about the whole "Stern" laidback. I'm proud to be a part of the school, but I don't think it makes me better than anyone in other NYU schools or other business schools or what have you. I have friends in pretty much every other school, from GSP to Steinhardt to CAS and so on.</p>
<p>Being in a Stern-only room doesn't mean much at all -- my roommates are both very lax about the whole Stern thing as well. We don't sit in our rooms and study all day and discuss today's headlines in the Wall Street Journal. We watch a crapload of TV, take naps, and sit around doing a whole lot of nothing more often than the Stern stereotype would allow. I also have plenty of friends who are in predominantly Stern rooms who share a similar attitude and "have lives," etc. In fact, I went to some bar a couple months ago and I felt like at least half of my Information Systems intro course was there. Albeit, that was really odd, but still --- Stern people know how to have fun.</p>
<p>Don't worry about the Stern thing...some people like having the label, so they use it. Honestly, it seems like it takes more effort to make yourself a hardcore "Sternie" than it is to branch out.</p>