If I could give one piece of advice to any incoming students, it is do not get stuck on 27th street. It is so easy to get in the habit of rolling out of bed ten minutes before your class starts, running across the street and back again when it ends. I can admit to falling into that routine when I was a freshman living in Alumni, but trust me, you will be missing out on so much if you don’t force yourself to venture past the Trader Joe’s on 20th. This goes for commuters too, you don’t want your only memories to take place in Penn Station or Grand Central. Not only are we lucky enough to study in the greatest city in the world, but we are right in the center of that city! Neighborhoods like Soho, the West Village and Gramercy Park are within walking distance, and Central Park, the east side, Brooklyn and Queens are just a short subway ride away. There is absolutely no excuse not to explore every inch of this city.
When I was a freshman I used to play this little game on the weekends to force myself to see the city. Basically, I would pick a part of town I had never been before, or didn’t know very much about and take the subway there. Once I got there I would just wander around until I felt sufficiently lost. After that, I would try to find my way home without any help. No Google Maps or iPhones allowed. It’s a really great way to see the parts of the city that would never be included in a tourist guidebook. Plus, it only costs the amount of a subway ride! I can guarantee that at some point during your time at FIT, you will have to do a project where the inspiration must come from a NYC neighborhood, so it’s a good idea to know some places other than the High Line (although if you’ve never been there I highly suggest it. Just go on a weekday to avoid tourists as much as possible).
–Emily–