Archive for October, 2018

Fighting The Moving Day Blues at NYU

Tuesday, October 30th, 2018

When I flew from the Caribbean islands to New York City, I couldn’t bring more than my clothes in three overweight suitcases. My mom, her boyfriend, and I spent two days shopping for dorm necessities at Bed Bath and Beyond. Unfortunately, I  bought things before even seeing my dorm, so I would later discover that many items didn’t fit. 

Arriving on campus on move-in day, I was a bundle of confusion with a racing heart. Parents were scurrying to get their children out of the car and up the stairs to Weinstein Hall’s lobby. As soon as I began loading all of my stuff on to the curb, I noticed and recognized Grace, my roommate at the curb. We chatted. Seeing her nervous face reminding me I wasn’t alone in my anxiety. 

Once Grace and I arrived at our room I became more overwhelmed. Her family and my family were all cramped into our tiny dorm, scurrying around and fixing every minute detail to save us stress. It had the opposite effect for me. Seeing everyone racing around the tiny space, opening boxes, making opinions, increased my claustrophobia in this tiny room.

I needed to get out. My mom, her boyfriend, and I headed back to Bed Bath and Beyond, but we found more chaos there. The whole freshman class were rushing to find the products they needed before someone else found them first. Eventually we escaped and headed back to my dorm. Then my mom and her boyfriend left me so I could finish up the unpacking at my pace, while my roommate was out to lunch with her parents. I put on some music. Finally, I could relax in my new space and create it exactly how I wanted to, without people throwing their opinions at me.

When I finally finished organizing I laid down. I was in my dorm in the greatest city in the world, the city I had dreamt of living in for as long as I could remember. I would make the most out of my four years here.

Weinstein was holding an Ice Cream Social in the lobby.  I have never been a social person, always waiting for someone else to spark a conversation with me. From across the room I saw two freshman boys both dressed in stylish dark colors. I was too scared to approach them though, so I sat still and hoped my nerves would fade. Then suddenly, someone asked if I wanted to play Uno. I looked up to see the two boys from across the room. They were Eric and Javi. We played Uno before going to the Bed Bath and Beyond party to dance and sing the night away.

Why was I worried about making friends? Everyone is in the exact same boat when entering college with the desire to make friends. Not everyone you meet in college is going to be your best friend, but it is nice to be acquainted with people, to smile or wave as you pass by each other on the street.

Eric and I became closer in the days that followed. He introduced me to Melody, his high school friend from California, then she introduced me to Kaitlyn. Now all of us, Grace, Javi, Eric, Kaitlyn, Melody and I, hang out almost every single day. I always wondered what would have happened if Eric didn’t approach me to play Uno that night. I wouldn’t have been introduced to Javi, Melody, and Kaitlyn. Fate brought me a caring, creative group of individuals.

Remember

  1. Know your space before you try to fill it. See your dorm room before spending hundreds of dollars on it.
  2. Stay open towards new people. They share the same fears and anxieties with you on their first day.
  3. If you don’t meet a ton of people at first don’t worry about it. The friends you make will introduce you to more friends in the future.

By Solana Joan Suazo


Solana is a freshman at NYU Steinhardt, studying art and psychology. Solana spends many hours walking around lower Manhattan with her friends, sketching in the park, or finding new inspirations for her art around the city. When she isn’t playing volleyball or meditating, she’s usually watching Game of Thrones with her roommate, daydreaming about California beaches and buys, or painting a new picture for art class. She loves coffee, chocolate, and ramen, of course.

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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My Alien Invasion Dream: Starting A New Life In The Aftermath of a Hurricane

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2018

Picture an island, surrounded by the warm, blue Caribbean waters, cooled by the constant sea breeze, and inhabited by an array of tropical floral, fauna, and a diverse, loving community of people. Now picture a girl, who grew up in this magical place, absorbing all the views of life, beauty, and peace it could offer her as she prepared to begin the next chapter of her life, college in New York. The island is St. Thomas, the heart of the United States Virgin Islands. The girl is Solana Suazo, an amateur artist.

It is September 9, 2017. The first of two category five hurricanes tore through my home. Irma and Maria took the sand from our beaches, the leaves from our trees, the roofs from our houses, and for many, the hope for brighter days to come. I had my fair share of sleepless nights and wakeless days, but I never lost hope, because I never lost love.

You’re probably groaning to yourself saying, “Oh joy, another corny book about love, whoopdeedoo”. But let me assure you this book isn’t about romantic love, it is about the love of life, the hope and joy it brings, and the many loving connections it attracts. I survived those hurricanes and I thrived because of them. The shock of a near death experience clears away the many distractions clouding our minds, so that the important things, our health, our relationships, and our dreams, can shine brighter than ever. I knew I was going to college in New York. I was leaving many of the people I adored most in this world behind, but I also knew that didn’t matter. Love knows no bounds. It is fluent in every language, harmonious at every key, and fluid like the oceans that connect every country, every island, together. So while my friends and I were escaping senior year and dealing with the reality that our lives were about to change forever, we were sure to make many lasting memories that we would carry with us to college.

One of these memories that fills me with a love and joy was the day my best friend Gillian slept over at my house. She came to help me face the unpredictable future together when I was depressed beyond belief. Vassar, my dream school, had just rejected me. I was lost in a sea of unpredictabilities and cold hard truths, naively telling myself I didn’t have what it took to go to a prestigious school like Vassar and dreading the thought of having to go through the same pain again tomorrow, when NYU would surely reject me too. I called Gillian in tears and she rushed to my house, prepared to eat junk food, rant about the college process, and watch netflix until it was time to answer the email together. She perked me up and dusted me off, until finally we were both ready to open that little letter. Next thing I remember we were both jumping up and down on my bed screaming because I had done it, I had been accepted. Gillian didn’t get into many of the schools she wanted, but she was still immensely happy that I did. I didn’t care about Vassar rejecting me anymore. I had let go of the dream of Vassar and began dreaming up new realities, in the concrete jungle.

However, saying goodbye to my friends was extremely difficult, like ripping off a ton of bandaids from your heart everyday. I was terrified to be on my own in such a big place with so many people. My whole life I had known the small island of St. Thomas, my mom who would make me lunch and hug me when I was sad, and my friends who would be with me every second of the day and who knew more about me than anyone in the world.

These fears soon found their way into my subconscious and two weeks prior to moving I had a crazy dream that aliens invaded the earth and my friends and I fought them off. It was one of the strangest, most vivid dreams I had ever had and I awoke in a confused state of despair that I did not understand, so I decided to research what my dream could have meant. I scrolled through the web until I found an interesting dream interpretation site. Would I found couldn’t have been more on the money. An alien invasion dreams mean that you are scared to start a new chapter in your life.

Of course I called Gillian directly after and told her all about my dream. I felt such relief to hear her say she was feeling the same way. I don’t know why I had been so blind to this feeling before that dream, maybe because I was having so much fun with my friends. But after that dream, researching it, and talking about it with Gillian, I was able to calm down. Though stressed before that morning, I felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders and I felt reassured of my decisions. Although I was leaving the people I loved, I could never truly lose them. They were, are, and always will be a part of me. I can call and text them whenever I need and now we can travel all across the country to visit each other, making new adventures and safeguarding new memories. If we could all survive an alien invasion, then I know we will be able to survive college!

Remember

1) Never allow anyone to make you feel unworthy. You are worthy of so much in this world.

2) If it didn’t happen, then it wasn’t meant to. Better possibilities are coming, meet them with an open heart.

3) You are never alone in this world. When you need help don’t be afraid to ask the people in your life. They love you, so they will always help you.

4) The packing and worrying can wait. Spend time with the ones you love, cherish the memories you make, plan to make some more in the future.

5) Stay positive and radiate positivity. Those in your life will do the same.

By Solana Joan Suazo


Solana is a freshman at NYU Steinhardt, studying art and psychology. Solana spends many hours walking around lower Manhattan with her friends, sketching in the park, or finding new inspirations for her art around the city. When she isn’t playing volleyball or meditating, she’s usually watching Game of Thrones with her roommate, daydreaming about California beaches and buys, or painting a new picture for art class. She loves coffee, chocolate, and ramen, of course.

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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You’re Not Alone: Maintaining Your Social Life Over School Workload

Friday, October 12th, 2018

 

Image from NYU Law website

When the school semester arrives, it’s study, study, study. You might feel alone and stressed with the school blues. The best remedy is making space for mixing and mingling with other students.

How about some hacks:

Join Clubs

Look up your clubs and organization on campus. Getting active into social justice  would enlighten you or something recreational can improve your mental health. Whether it’s a Roller Skating Club, Tennis Club, Chess Club, Debate Club, being part of something can feel good, give you something for the resume, and have you interacting with a group. Plus, these events might have free snacks.

More School Events on your calendar

Get into new spaces. Learn about new places. If you get more into active spaces, like parties, social events, info sessions, you’ll end up introducing yourself and shaking hands with a lot of people.

Set Study Groups

If you feel you outright can’t have free time, the trick is to set up a study group. Setting up a cohort would be beneficial to you. You could get homework and studying done faster and more productive. Bring the chip and dips for snacks.

Grab a Bite or Drink With A Person

You schedule something, you’ll have an obligation on your calendar. That’s incentive for you to get outside or get with a friend. Go to a Starbucks, a Dunkin Donuts, or a nice bar, for a beer, or nachos, or pizza. Share an appetizer with somebody.

Chat With Friends on Social Media

Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram. Whether it’s a long-distance friend or your classmate, give them a poke. Make a goal to chat with them. Don’t always rely on social media, let it supplement real-life meetings. If you have a cold, depression, anxiety, it can lighten your day. Check in on your friend, tell them a joke, or ask them for a joke. Take a five minute break to tear your eyes from your study notes and poke somebody on Facebook.

You can do this. You can survive. You can work in many new commitments during your time there.

By Caroline Cao


Carol is a queer Vietnamese-Houstonian Earthling surviving under the fickle weather of New York. When she’s not seeing a Broadway production, she’s buried in her nonfiction MFA homework like Hermione Granger and her Hogwarts studies. When not angsting over her first poetry manuscript or a pilot screenplay about space samurais, Carol is cooking her own Chinese food instead of buying take-outs and dreaming of winning Hamilton lotto tickets. She chronicles the quirks of New York living and writing, runs writing and scripting services, and lends her voice to Birth Movies DeathThe Mary SueFilm School Rejectsand The Script Lab. She’s also lurking in the shadows waiting for you to follow her on Twitter or Instagram.

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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