Zoe Applebaum
- I just moved into my dorm at New York University as a freshman.
- Unpacking was stressful, but it was great to connect with my new roommates.
- The first few days were overwhelming as I adjusted to city life.
After an eight-hour car ride from Toronto to New York City, my dad and I arrived at New York University's campus — my new home for the next four years.
We pulled up to the unloading dock, and I rolled down my car window. I was kindly greeted by an NYU staff member named Peggy. She began giving me instructions as I followed her inside to the check-in desk. I quickly discovered that NYU's campus was boundless, interwoven, and uniquely connected to Manhattan. Regular people were taking their Saturday-morning strolls as sirens filled the air.
While moving in was a breeze, I quickly realized just how difficult the transition into college would be.
The move felt surreal because I'd dreamed about it for months
When I arrived at NYU, I tried my best to take it all in. This was a huge day for me, likely one I would remember for the rest of my life.
After lugging everything out of the car and into my building's elevator, I finally arrived at my dorm, which is a triple. There, I met one of my roommates, along with her family. It was bizarre to meet someone for the first time while knowing I'd be sharing a room with them for the next nine months. But it was comforting to have connected with her before move-in day via Instagram.
I was immediately drawn to the floor-to-ceiling windows as natural light lit up the space. It was then that I noticed the Empire State Building peeking through the skyline.
Reality began to set in: New York was a place that I'd once thought of as a distant dream, but now it was my new home.
I started to unpack my belongings — and started my new life
Over the next two hours, I had the very stressful task of setting up my new home. When my second roommate arrived, we each started to unpack, unraveling layers of packing paper.
I felt overwhelmed and unsure of where to start as I looked at all my belongings spread out on the floor. As someone who's particular about the organization of her living space, I found it mentally taxing to artfully arrange my new room within a matter of hours.
Zoe Applebaum
When I was finally done, I realized my dorm space wasn't perfect. I had to remind myself at that moment that good was good enough.
My roommates and I then decided to grab lunch somewhere around campus before heading to Target to get a few things. The number of cafés, lunch spots, and grab-and-go food options around Greenwich Village seemed endless. Some places even offer an NYU-student discount, which I took note of for later.
Since orientation didn't start until the following Monday, I had some time to explore. I acquainted myself with some of the other students living in my dorm. I also explored the city with my roommates.
I was not prepared for the amount of walking I would do. My health app's step count skyrocketed to well over 10,000 steps, and I could feel my heels digging into the soles of my shoes every night.
I realized New York City would be an adjustment for me
During my first few days at NYU, I found the city overstimulating. There were loud noises, cars racing by, and large groups of people surrounding me at every turn. While I considered myself a citygoer and someone who generally liked the hustle and bustle of a big city, my first few days were overwhelming and a bit scary. That's something I hadn't anticipated. I talked about this to my roommates, and they seconded that feeling.
Stepping into a foreign environment with unfamiliar faces is bound to be scary at first. I thought I knew what to expect from the intensive research and analysis I had done before coming to NYU, but I was proved wrong.
I'm learning that this adjustment will be harder than I thought
I thought I had it all figured out. I researched New York City, packed everything I needed, and connected with people before getting to campus. But these first few days have been hard.
I've learned that change is hard, and opening myself up to new experiences is even harder.
However, taking this initial leap of faith will set the tone for the rest of my university experience. From what little wisdom I've gathered so far, I've decided to lean in to these uncomfortable moments and seize each opportunity to make the most of my freshman year.