Archive for November, 2018

The Turmoil of Travel: It’s All Worth The Destination

Tuesday, November 27th, 2018

My college life in New York can be draining, like a giant leach latched onto the back of your head that relentlessly sucks day and night. It sucks out the happiness that keeps you going, which is why mental health trips are important.

One minute I was in the Uber alone, pooling across New York City to John F. Kennedy International Airport. Another minute I was talking to a stranger named Kristin who reeked of cigarettes, booze, and tales of misspent youth. She entered the Uber cab in haste and rambled on about the homeless man who assaulted her for fifteen minutes. It was 4:30 in the morning and she was trying to get home from a club. Then she rambled about her Jamaican and Chinese heritage and how she was always so upset that people didn’t identify her as such. She must have been in a drunken stupor because she introduced herself to me four times throughout that thirty minute car ride. She yelled at our driver for not dropping her home first. “It’s not your fault sweetheart, you’re a dear. This guys just an idiot!” she babbled as I just sat and nodded my head. I felt bad for her but when she began to say nasty things to the Uber driver I couldn’t wait to escape her exhausting presence. “You’re on your way to California. This will all be worth it in several hours,” I repeated myself in my head to drown out her constant rebukes to the driver.

We finally reached the JFK airport. I thought, things could only get better from here. But as I stepped on to the extremely full flight and found my seat, all optimism just melted away again. I was sandwiched, paninied to be more precise, between two adults and one of them took up a large chunk of my seat. She was unable to put the armrest down that acts as a much needed divider between strangers on a six-and-a-half hour flights across the country. “The seats are very tiny,” she whispered apologetically. I gave her an apologetic smile, but my rigged posture gave away my disappointment. The man next to me who sat near the aisle must have seen our awkward exchange, for in my peripheral vision I could see him nervously looking at her, at me, and then scanning around the plane. I became even more filled with dread, as my eyes hastily scanned the plane for an open seat. I thought, “Great, I am going to be skin to skin with a stranger for seven hours while another stranger creepily stares at me.” However, I guess when I am already in a bad mood, or maybe when I just forget my coffee, I immediately look at the most negative qualities and outcomes of any situation. Once the plane had stopped boarding the man looked at me with fatherly eyes and told me there were plenty of open seats if I would prefer to move.  I gladly moved a row behind of us.

 The plane ride was as good as it could be expected from a cheap American Airlines flight. I awoke flying over a red and brown desert as the morning sun was blasting through the tiny cold windows, and the excitement soon followed. An hour and a half later, I was in California, talking on the phone with my mother while I waiting for Alex, my best friend, to pick me up from the bustling LAX two days before Thanksgiving.

Words could never describe my love for Alex. There are some people in this world that are medicine for the soul; they scoop out all the evil and hate that had been building inside you for months with just a smile, a hug, and a genuine “How are you?”. I’d fly across the world to see Alex, even for just a week, for just an hour, for just a car ride with her. Being in California, seeing Alex and her family, seeing her friends and mobbing around with them, is medicine for my soul. 

Yesterday, I trekked through hell to come to the paradise of California. It’s all worth it: the lack of caffeine, that deafening car ride, that unfortunate seating circumstance, the thirty minute wait at the airport. Living in New York is difficult, especially for a small town beach bum like me, but it will all be worth it. In New York I was having a hard time putting things into perspective with the lights clouding my judgement and the streets’ constant cacophony  tuning out my senses. I could see myself raising a family here in California far in the future, once I have my PhD and a steady job and met the man to love and travel the world with him. New York is tough and cutthroat, but to escape with my head on straight and a degree in my hand will mean that my dream is right within grasp.

Things to remember

  1. Take a trip, somewhere you are loved, somewhere you feel at home
  2. Don’t lose sight of the future, “the world is yours”
  3. Have fun, your not even fully an adult yet

 

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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Maintaining Long-Distance Relationships

Tuesday, November 20th, 2018

A long distance relationship is an incredible feat. There’s no sugar coating it. You’re in one place and your loved one is in another. If you’re as unlucky as me, your loved ones are across the country from you.

I never expected to meet Jack last summer while I was visiting my best friend in Huntington Beach, California but life took me by surprise. When I left Jack in California, it was like I left my heart behind. I constantly drift back into memories from that summer with him, the sun rays and good vibes floating through the dry California air.

At least I fought for the time to see him again. I am going to California in less than a week. I would spend six months away from him for just one week with him, because he is worth it.

If you feel the same way about someone, you should fight for your time with them. If you see yourself sharing a future with someone, never let distance get in the way. Love knows no bounds, so put it to the test and love who you love. But you have to put effort. Distance is a large boundary, but love can overcome any boundary with work. I literally have a whole country between me and Jack.

Being away from friends is also difficult, but luckily our generation has Facetime and social media. Everyone is on different schedules or living in different time zones. But you can coordinate times to reach out to them. Sometimes it feels like my friends and I are always playing phone tag with one another and that can be very frustrating. But when you finally talk to each other, it is worth it. Just last week I went with someone to have our hair done and the wait time was dreadful. So instead of sitting down for another hour, I went outside and talked with my two closest friends on the phone. They filled me in on their lives, about dates gone wrong and new friends. A simple phone call made me at ease.

I do need to call my family more. It’s like a chore I keep pushing off. My mom misses me like crazy. I am her baby girl, the youngest of three, the last to leave the nest. My mom has been raising children for 25 years and I really owe it to her to call more. My father passed away in 2015 and my biggest regret is not calling him more. I don’t even remember the last thing I said to my father. Life is short, tell someone you love them.

Of course, see your loved ones in person, so get on your computer and plan a trip.  I paid for my ticket to California out of my pocket. My mom was very upset for not coming home for Thanksgiving so she said she wouldn’t help me pay for my ticket. I think she thought that would stop me but I was like “Yes, ma’am” and went online to buy my own ticket. It was crazy expensive but I have no regrets. My mom can see me at Christmas and over the summer break, but Thanksgiving is me-time, me-time to see Jack again, me-time to make new memories with Jack.

Travel tip: This year I have traveled to Boston to see a friend with a $35 round-trip ticket on Megabus. If you are trying to travel anywhere around the northeast I would recommend looking into a bus service first before your check out airfare. There are so many busses and it is so easy to catch one riding out of the city. However, if you are a neat freak or can’t handle public transportation, I would advise against bussing. It is definitely the cheapest method of traveling but it is not clean. If you prefer air travel, than just do your research to find cheap flights online. On my slim college budget, I use cheap sites like Expedia to find tickets. In college, cheap is always the way to go.

Things to Remember

  1. Make time for those you love and they will make time for you
  2. Spend your money on memories
  3. Call your family, time is fleeting
  4. Fight for love, let it win

 

 

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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Soul-Healing With New York Art And Adventures

Tuesday, November 13th, 2018

My first NYC adventure brought me solitude and artistic enlightenment. I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in upper Manhattan to compose sketches of ten of my favorite paintings for a painting class assignment. On a cloudy Saturday, I made my way to the MET with nothing more than my sketchbook, a pack of art pens, and my wallet.

I knew the MET was every New York artist’s dream but I discovered that the MET is also an escape from reality, a passage through different times and places. In one room I was a Christian from the 16th century. In another I was a French child playing on the shores of the Seine. 

One Egon Schiele sketch captivated me: “Girl 1918.” It was not a grand painting or sculpture, but a simple sketch of a nude girl, leaning over the arm of a chair on her right side, in a somewhat sitting, somewhat lying posture, as she stares forward, relaxed and mouth slightly opened, towards the unseen artist Schiele. I pictured myself as this girl in this tranquil position.

As I sketched the complexities of the girl’s human form, I realized why this specific nude sketch stood out to me. Prior to visiting the MET, I was recovering from a messy breakup. An ex had been out of my life for about four months. But for some reason, whether out of loneliness or hatred, he decided to drag me down on the internet. I found myself in the same heartbroken, mistreated funk I had been in four months ago. When I saw “Girl 1918,” I had found an art piece that reflected my disheartened state and vulnerability.

Immersed in the early stages of my sketch, I had to get up from the bench and move closer to work to mimic the exact lines and movement Schiele achieved. Suddenly, I heard a man from behind me ask if I wanted to borrow a pencil. I guess he had seen that I was sketching with pens. I accepted his offer and started again on my sketch, finishing just as the man returned. When I gave him back his pencil, the man complimented my work and I was overjoyed. I had felt what the girl had felt.

I saw many more resonating art pieces. Otto Friedrich’s “Scherzo” (1913) displays nude children playing on a beach, and it reminded me of my joyous, carefree upbringing in the islands. Instead of the flowery subjects on that flower-speckled beach Friedrich painted, I thought of my friends and family in place of the flowers. 

The following Saturday, I went on another adventure, this time not alone. My friends and I went to Central Park right before sunset. We watched as the sun descended behind the skyscrapers in the distance, so far away from us as we perched on this boulder revealing the green expanse before us. It felt nice to be surrounded by trees, which seemed to envelope us, completely hiding our views of the city. This is forest bathing in New York City. Forest bathing, for those of you that haven’t heard of it, is the Japanese therapeutic practice of shinrin-yoku, when one becomes connected to nature through one’s senses. 

I spied a man playing a beautiful string instrument underneath an old yet beautiful tree. His music seemed to be an extension of that tree into another art form, from living to musical. I wish I had money to give to him. Live music, no matter the kind, touches my soul, especially when it seems to be an embodiment of Central Park itself.

My time at the MET and Central Park were moments of healing. Those paintings reminded me that although heartbreak has remained through mankind’s history, love of oneself, of art, and friends has lasted as well. Being surrounded by people that make you laugh like a child. Being immersed in nature is the best medicine for a a funk. New York can be a very busy place, so it’s nice to find those special places where you can chill and regain your composure; don’t let the fast pace knock you off your feet.

  1. If you’re feeling down, go connect with some art.
  2. Whenever you need relief, venture to nature spots and connect with the Earth.
  3. If these don’t relate to you, then there are a million other options that will bring you peace, joy, or comfort.

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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Ice-Breaking With New Friends

Tuesday, November 6th, 2018

Coming from a small island, I kept my childhood friends close. I met three of my closest friends in kindergarten, so my adult self was out of practice in friend-making. I have had the same group of friends for so long that I doubted that others could fill the gap when I had to leave them for NYU. Meeting Eric, Javi, and others friends at the move-in party was a miracleUnfortunately though, I was friendless in my classes.

Eric, Javi, and others friends were in different classes. For a while I kept to myself in all my classes, unable to get over my shyness. I would enviously eavesdrop on my classmates’ conversations. I needed friends in my difficult classes, a study partner, a study group to survive the workload.

I thought it was unlucky that NYU Steinhardt required students to take a New Student Seminar class. Next thing I knew, I was sitting in a classroom full of freshman. Ramy Ebied, my academic advisor, put all of us into pairs to break the ice with our fellow classmates. He paired me with the very tall and handsome Luke, so I became even more nervous when it came time to start the ice breaker. Fortunately, Ramy gave us three topics to get us started. 

Ramy’s Icebreaker Questions:

  1. Where you are from?
  2. What our names mean or how we got them?
  3. Something challenging about college so far or something you enjoy about college so far?

Luke and I became acquaintances, then close friends. He decided to start a study group before our first psychology exam, inviting our whole class. Only a handful showed up, but it was nice to finally be in an intimate environment where I could talk with my fellow classmates. Now I have many acquaintances in that class and one cool close friend in Luke. 

Meeting Luke helped me open up. I eventually made close friends with Hannah, a senior from painting class. Last class she invited me to get food with her after. I agreed to stop at a Shake Shack where Hannah and I had our first non-school conversation, about our futures, her dog, and my anxieties. As we were walking back to Washington Square Park, she told me that I was always welcome to join her at the dog park with her and her adorable dog.

My initial mistake was that I figured college would be like high school, that people stay within the realm of their grade or class and don’t form friendships across those boundaries. I have never seen a high school senior and a high school freshman develop a mutual friendship. But I learned to stop comparing the larger-than-life NYU to my tiny high school.

College is a fresh start to go outside of your bubble and meet new people across the boundaries.

Remember

  1. Open up to people, especially if they are opening up to you.
  2. Say yes to group activities or events. There you will meet people who will have a lot in common with you.
  3. College is nothing like high school, all the grades/levels blend together into one collective, so don’t be intimidated. 
  4. Make a few close friends, those you can share an intimate chat with. 

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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