Fall Semester At NYU In 5 Objects

October 3rd, 2012 by Becky Del

This past summer, freshmen enrolled in the Liberal Studies Program were assigned to read Neil McGregor‘s A History of The World in 100 Objects. While many students didn’t read all 650 pages, most caught onto the idea that an object speaks more about a subject than words may ever tell. With the first month of the semester over, I decided to tackle my own list of objects: “NYU Fall Semester in 5 Objects.”

Autumn in Manhattan is certainly a time of wonder. Though the streets are not paved with as many colorful leaves as the country is, New York City has its very own quirks and charms during the season change. There’s nothing like the hormonal weather of September to get you in the habit of checking the forecast every morning. One day it’s 80 degrees; the next, it’s 60. It can be hard to deal with at times, but the smaller work load at the start of the semester is a good trade-off for bizarre weather.

But what makes Autumn truly an experience of its own in New York?

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If Only Getting A’s Was As Easy As Emma Stone Made It Seem

September 28th, 2012 by Becky Del

It’s tempting to sign up for classes like Intro to Drawing. Albert tells you it’s four credits and will help you learn to “empathize with the genres of landscape, still-life, & figure.” How hard could that be?

NYU students pride themselves on their intelligence and talent, but sometimes a semester can become overwhelming. To combat this, we find ourselves signing up for classes that will be a boost for our GPA, also known as an “Easy A.”

You are about to be warned.

 

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The First Rule About Insomnia Cookies: Don’t Talk About Insomnia Cookies

September 26th, 2012 by Becky Del

For those who are unfamiliar with this phenomenal business, Insomnia Cookies is a late night delivery service that brings cookies straight to your dorm. They’re delivered preheated in a box. You can even order milk with those cookies. Genius.

It begins with a phone call: “Did somebody order insomnia cookies?” Christmas has clearly come early. I wait anxiously for the elevator, envisioning who the mystery delivery guy could be. I run outside and find a man on a bike pulling a pizza box out of a square insulated bag. Be not mistaken – this is not pizza. It is a box full of rich, gooey cookies that, as I type, have put me into a sugary coma. But I had a goal beyond giving myself Type II diabetes: I wanted to talk to the delivery guy.

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NYU LOLCAL: Let’s Talk About The Big Elephant In The Room

September 20th, 2012 by Becky Del

NYU Local presents a new experimental series of comics titled “NYU LOLcal,” brought to you by a doodling freshman and her observations on campus. They feature stages of freshman realization about life at NYU. 


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The Article Your Parents Never Want To Know You Read: On Non-Sexiling

September 18th, 2012 by Becky Del

At long last you’ve sealed the deal with the super cute girl from Writing the Essay. Class has only been in session for 2 weeks and somehow, your courting has succeeded: This chick wants to bang you. Or, maybe, it’s two weeks into class and your beau from afar has come to visit. In celebration of your reunion, you two are planning for a wondrous love fest.  Adorable.

But wait! You don’t live alone anymore. You can’t get it on in the car – as it was easy to in suburbia – and let alone your own suite. You have roommates. In the nature of good roommate etiquette, you refuse to sexile your new buds. It’s time to get creative.

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Exploring The Freshman Explorations Floors

September 14th, 2012 by Becky Del

Remember applying for housing?

You were desperate to get into your favorite dorm, and you sure as hell didn’t want to be stuck in that one. So you found a roommate on Facebook, and you decided to apply for the same residence hall together. You needed to boost the odds of getting in— the food rocks, the location is great, or maybe it’s just easy to get away with parties. And – as a last resort – you signed up for an exploration floor.

You don’t remember that?

Suddenly move-in day arrives, followed that night by a floor meeting. Your RA says something bizarre about going to the UN, and you’re thinking, “Cool, college has field trips!”

Oh no, young grasshopper. You’re on an Exploration Floor.

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When Boys Dress Like Girls And Girls Dress Like Boys

September 12th, 2012 by Becky Del

NYU Local presents a new experimental series of comics titled “NYU LOLcal,” brought to you by a doodling freshman and her observations on campus. They will feature stages of freshman realization about life at NYU.

We know—it’s cool to dress like one of those girls being reblogged on Tumblr. It’s trendy to look like a mannequin at Urban Outfitters. And yeah, it’s fun to brag about how you got your latest flannel at a thrift store. Congratulations—so did everyone else.


Confused And Loving It: A Freshman’s Take On LSP

September 7th, 2012 by Becky Del

11 am rolls around sooner rather than later, and I head over to my first day as a Liberal Studies student. I stumble late into a room that seats 25 (tops) and already recognize familiar faces. Instantly, I feel the warm fuzzy feeling inside that is the comfort of going to a small school.

Many others and myself received an email back in December that began with a “Congratulations!” After the initial excitement of learning that we were accepted to our dream school, a strange reality settled in as we read the email. “Liberal Studies Program.” What the fuck is that?

After months of trying to set reasonable expectations, I find myself attending the first week of classes for the next two years of my life. And to be completely honest…

I love it.

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Freshman Floor Stereotypes: An Anthropological Study

September 4th, 2012 by Becky Del

With class beginning and move-in day a part of the past, students living in residence halls have begun to awkwardly get to know each other. For an unfortunate few, some have earned nicknames they’ll be spending the whole semester trying to knock. For the others on the floor, those superlatives are a wonderful point of conversation. Every floor has ‘em, and we love it.

The Incredibly Awkward Guy Everyone Wants To Get Laid: This guy is a key part of the floor. He will speak to all of the girls using what he thinks is suave language and inevitably make a fool of himself. Yet somehow you think this may work to his advantage. You wonder if it’s possible to be so awkward it’s almost endearing. At least, you hope it’s possible for this kid’s sake. There may be several of this character on your floor, especially if it’s all freshmen. It’s not a bad thing though – everyone is rooting for him to finally get laid and earn the cool points he so desperately aspires to have.

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