Students with Rural Background

Colleges and Universities A-Z New York University
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<p>My D comes from a VERY rural background and will be auditioning for NYU (Steinhart - Music Ed) this coming year.</p>

<p>A lot of people in my area of the state (NY) won't even consider sending their kids to an NYC school bc they feel it will be too much of a culture shock. Now my D has been to NYC several times and spent much time on her own there walking around with friends. I am not saying that she is by any means worldly but she is familiar with the city.</p>

<p>I am just wondering if anyone was/is from a rural setting (I hear the cows mooing behind me now) and went to NYU or decided to go to NYU and how they feel about it now. Was it hard to get used to or was it great to be in a different setting? My D really wants to shake the dust of this small town off of her as she has always been "different". In other words, not sports obsessed like most of the girls around here. Music/academics obsessed is not held in high regard where we are. </p>

<p>Any input would be helpful. TIA</p>

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<p>Nobody here can tell you how hard or easy your daughter will have it adjusting to NYU. Nobody knows. I don't see how anyone would really have a problem adjusting. The villiage isn't your vintage NYC with 50+ floor buildings. Greenwich Villiage's tallest buildings are NYU buildings and a few apartment buildings. For the most part, they are 4-5 stories high. There is also a lack of a hustle and bustle feel as the buildings all surround a park and the academic area of nyu literally dies at night aside from homless people and drug dealers in washington square park. There were all kinds of people at school and none of them had a culture shock from what i understand.</p>

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<p>I wouldn't say it dies at night. It's still pretty active. Bleecker is only one block away, remember? ;)</p>

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<p>uhmm...aren't there over 10 floors in Bobst and Kimmel? and isn't the stern building just as tall as those? And my dorm...rubin...was 17 floors. Weinstein is slightly less. all the buildings in greenwhich are just about the same height, really. And I've never heard of anyone getting culture shock from building height...</p>

<p>Tall-ish buildings aside, even if your daughter has a hard time adjusting, she'll never have to deal with it alone. There are tons of friendly couselors at NYU who specialize in helping students who are having a hard time adjusting. Plus, she will make friends and having friends is certainly the easiest way to adjust to the city. NYU does a pretty good job of getting freshman to slowly become familiar with the city, because they start by putting them all in a relatively small location (Washington Square Park). And the location itself is extremely safe. I felt perfectly safe walking home or to friends alone at 3 or 4 am.</p>

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<p>Most NYU students with this problem usually just kill themselves.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.thevillager.com/villager_25/afterthirdsuicide.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.thevillager.com/villager_25/afterthirdsuicide.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>
[quote]
This is not to say the school COULD do a better job of fostering a campus atmosphere.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>As someone who was involved in school activities, I'm of the opinion that NYU does its best. You can lead a horse (or thousands of students) to water, but you can't make it drink. It's hardly NYU's fault if students decide to ignore the activities and events put together by ResEd, the individual schools, or the Office of Student Affairs, and instead decide to whine about the lack of community or whatever. NYU isn't for everyone - only self-motivating students need attend.</p>

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<p>As an addendum to my reference to suicides. Alot of students at nyu are messed up. Like protesting things that are illegal and should remain so (like illegal immigration). So that can explain the suicides but i dont really see myself having a different time at a campus college. I drink alot, party alot, have lots of friends. It's all the same in the end.</p>

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<p>I felt a disclaimer was needed for the post given the ridiculous statements made by a user, who, for lack of anything better to do, only speaks destructively and falsely in the subject. I just don't want anyone to get the wrong impression, so here is a copy of a letter I wrote to the person who started this topic. I'm posting it so that it helps anyone else with this concern:</p>

<p>...most kids at NYU are NOT "messed up", they are kids like you would find at any other university. Perhaps more self motivated, yes, and some may come from wealth and be a little materialistic [it is NY after all] but otherwise it is just a college.</p>

<p>Concerning the suicides link he posted, a few years ago at NYU there were about six or seven students who committed suicide. That said, there are dozens of thousands of students who attend NYU. Some may have problems, many of which weren't related to school, and they may handle it the wrong way. Suicide is an unfortunate event that many people resort to all over the world, but is in NO WAY common at NYU. Like I said in the post, there is always a place to turn at NYU if you are having trouble and need to seek it.</p>

<p>I know this from personal experience. I was very depressed at the beginning of my freshman year, but it was only something that had been developing for the past few years at my life. I was self destructive, constantly thinking about suicide and it only got worse because I didn't want to tell anyone about it because I was afraid they wouldn't care. Finally, I went to the counseling services at NYU and also recieved some very helpful advice from one of my teachers who reached out to me. After spending the rest of the year in group counseling I began to feel better about my life than I had in a long time, and I truly don't think I would be as happy with myself as I am right now if it wasn't for NYU.</p>

<p>I only say this to let you know that NYU does have a community. If you reach out to what you want or need, it is surely there for you at NYU. So, when it comes to adjusting to NYU, it may be hard at first, but there is always something there for you. I made some great friends at NYU as well, and I, without a doubt, don't think your child will have a problem doing the same thing.</p>

<p>As far as urban vs. rural, it may be a shock at first but it is very easy to adjust to. I went from suburb (more sub, than urb) to the city and absolutely love it and can't wait to get back!</p>

<p>(just want to say, I'm not channeling my inner soap opera star here, not standing on a soap box, not doing anything soap related really. i just wanted this perspective thrown onto this board because i think it's been unfairly tainted by a statement that "Most NYU students with this problem usually just kill themselves." so please no replies attacking me for thinking i'm some brave person who either can't take a joke or is too sensitive for NYC...blah blah, i don't think i am, just being honest here...)</p>

<p>P.S. I completely agree with everything shades children said.</p>

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<p>I'm not saying there is no community. I'm saying the school should do a better job of fostering such an atmosphere. Learn to read carefully.</p>

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<p>firewalker:</p>

<p>
[quote]
I'm saying the school should do a better job of fostering such an atmosphere. Learn to read carefully.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I done read good, thank you very much.</p>

<p>What did you mean by "such an atmosphere"? A "campus atmosphere"? A "supportive atmosphere"?</p>

<p>I stand by my statements. NYU does its best to support and entertain its students, whether through bajillions of free activities, free counselling, or free basic health services. What I don't get is why people continue to knock NYU. Should NYU move out to the country and buy 500 acres of rolling green hills to foster campus atmosphere?</p>

<p>lindseygs:</p>

<p>Glad to see someone else who agrees that NYU's community or atmosphere is pretty good.</p>

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<p>"...instead decide to whine about the lack of community or whatever."</p>

<p>I perceived this as implying that I had stated there was no community: "lack of = absence".</p>

<p>Secondly, I meant "campus atmosphere" and "community" to describe roughly the same idea. What this idea does NOT entail: spending money on food to entice students to watch our basketball team, maintaining largely worthless RE activities, etc. Either improve to a Division I team and give all students something to be passionate about, or don't. I'd rather have the money given on an individual basis, for our choosing. Or something every student should have, like an unlimited metrocard. What it DOES entail is something I'd have to spend far more time thinking about.</p>

<p>Free counseling and free health care are important, yes. But I don't consider those contributors to a "campus atmosphere". Is there any one single event that draws every NYU student to it? On a yearly basis? I'm hard pressed to find an answer. Yes, I do realize the nature of NYU is different than that of other schools, but I'm just saying. Personally, I could care less about school related functions. However, I believe the university should let us spend our money the way we see fit. Or not charge us at all.</p>

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<p>i think Strawberry Fest and things like that are close to what you would call a single even that draws every NYU student to. Of course the all-encompassing word "every" is very difficult to live up to consider that the NYU community is made up of like 40,000 students. It's easy for wellesley girls to have their **** truck activities and other liberal arts schools to have thier traditions-- they're not taking the "largest private university in the nation" role.</p>

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<p>I FREAKING LOVED STRAWBERRY FEST. THOSE STRAWBERRIES WERE DELICIOUS! ugh...that was the best day ever. no joke. i want strawberries now....</p>

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<p>D and I had quite the conversation about this in the car last night. Needless to say, I am satisfied that she is not applying to NYU with the impression that it is a microcosm. While a group of suicides among any population is a sad and disturbing thing I truly believe that it is a small sample of the NYU population and that these kids were probably suffering from problems more severe than just a lack of community. </p>

<p>I believe that people in glass houses should not throw stones. No family is without its issues and the teen years are particularly hard. The newfound freedoms and responsibilities of college/city life along with the temptations can make your head spin I am sure. Throw in a heavy course load and who knows the roomate situation and a person can feel overwhelmed and lonely and if the family support is not there things can get to a desperate stage. But that can happen at any school.</p>

<p>Glad to hear so many people are supporting NYU in this and are so eager to defend. That says a lot.</p>

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<p>StrawberryFest? I haven't even heard of that until now.</p>

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<p>firewalker-- are you ****in kidding me? maybe if you got out of your room and took a break from listening to your hardcore metal and just walked around "campus"...</p>

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<p>do you remember the giant block long strawberry cake? that was hard to miss.</p>

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<p>:P (10char)</p>

<p>And please, never use "hardcore" and "metal" in the same sentence ever again. :(</p>