[tld221]

I went to NYU, probably as urban campus as you can get.

NYU freshmen are from all over, many from other cities (LA, Chicago, Miami, Boston, DC Metro, parts of Texas and Cali and lets not forget the tri-state, NJ/CT) so its not as overwhelming as it would be for someone who is from, i dunno, Kalamazoo. The campus is open, but there are defininably NYU-areas (bounded by Houston and 14th St north to south, and 3rd Ave-6th Ave east to west).

To get a feel for the campus, take the campus tour - lots of people miss out on how much the school has to offer (and at $45K+ yearly, you better take advantage). To get a feel for the city... take the city on! Cabs are for punks and it gets expensive, jump on a subway and see where it takes you. The village (east, west, and Greenwich) are all walking distance from campus, as is Chinatown, Little Italy, Union Square... i think its most important for freshmen in particular to get a feel for campus first, where all the main buildings are, best places to study, favorite dining hall, and a feel for the neighborhood (where the local bank, post office, grocery store, parks, hospital) I cant count how many of my residents who only knew locations where their classes were. One girl literally would walk to class and back to the dorm, making the occasional stop to the library. Her parents picked her up on Fridays, did her laundry and cooked her meals and would drop her off Sunday nights. that is not the way to live!

There isnt really a typical college experience at NYU, but mine consisted of growing into the idea that it would be typical - no homecoming game, no brouhaha over sports, and the party scene would be less kegger and more bar/club hopping. Which, as i got older, was a plus. There is food and shopping everywhere, public transportation is 24/7, and the city isnt as dangerous as it sounds! Most importantly, living on campus, as expensive as it is, is CRUCIAL for getting the optimal experience at NYU. Its true - my best friends are from the residence halls.