Archive for June, 2025

Dreamland Ch. 1: A thousand empty notebooks

Wednesday, June 11th, 2025

Every year, without fail, someone will gift me a notebook. It’s not exactly a secret that I love to write, though I tend not to advertise it all the time, and I can’t blame that first instinct to give the writer a place to journal her thoughts and ideas before they vanish. Unfortunately, I was born in 2005, which means I started using laptops in fourth grade and haven’t stopped since. Kids these days, right?

But my first ever story was written in a red notebook.

I was five years old, and I didn’t know how to spell all that well, but I’d learned the word spectrum fairly recently and wanted to do something with it. So I pieced together something about rainbows and other worlds. An adopted little girl who plants flowers in an apocalyptic wasteland. I illustrated the cover and everything. With little fanfare, I realized I wanted to be an author.

Since then, that was my Thing. Once I got a handle of Google Docs, it was over for everyone. I wrote silly stories throughout my childhood, once with a friend in sixth grade just because we finished our English quiz early. I centered my personality around the fact that I enjoyed reading and writing, because these were the formative years nobody knew who they were so they picked an archetype for themselves. I could’ve done a lot worse than The Writer, I think, but that stack of notebooks is still growing.

It was a natural next step for me to conceive a full-length novel when I was eleven. That is, I thought vaguely of this story in idle moments and the liminal space between sleep and consciousness, but I didn’t suck it up and start drafting until I was twelve. It was pretty terrible, because I was twelve and all, but I owe everything to that decision. It’s that same story that I rewrote in high school and self-published when I was sixteen, and whose sequels I’m working on right now.

My first book. Do you get the blog title now? Image Credit: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Reflections-Land-Dreams-Book-ebook/dp/B09KKXPK39

The thing is, it’s exceptionally rare to decide your lifelong passion before you’ve graduated high school, let alone before you’ve learned your times tables. But it’s not as though I’ve approached the rest of my life with absolute certainty or that I now have telescopic vision of the next twenty years. I may have chosen what I like, but I didn’t know who I was, not really. Often, I don’t have the faintest clue of the next five years, or even the next two. I still oscillate wildly between that wonderful surety and a debilitating fear of the future. Especially since that aforementioned lifelong passion happens to be creative writing and not, you know, hedge fund management. You’ll learn soon enough about my less-than-fully formed productivity habits and my monthly crashouts about jobs and internships.

Indeed, I happened to form the nucleus of my interests and aspirations from a very, very young age, but that passion has evolved with me in the same way someone might start out wanting to pursue acting and then realize they’re better suited for behind-the-scenes work. I still feel a certain catharsis from writing fantasy fiction like in the pages of that red notebook, but I see myself switching genres someday, and I also see myself doing a lot more than creative writing as an adult. Over the years, I’ve looked into work in fields like publishing, PR, academia, journalism, social media marketing, and so on, and I don’t want to box myself in even if I will always be writing no matter what. 

For instance, I write articles on movies and music for NYU’s newspaper. I’ve picked up minor marketing internships and taken business classes to learn about the professional world. Some things I like more than others, and I’m sure one thing or another will fall to the wayside once I graduate. For every notebook I fill, another remains unfinished. The easy part is figuring out how I can use my ability to write wherever I work, but the scary part is that it’ll never look the same way as it did as a child, when I could just tell myself I would be an author and leave it at that.

That’s the thing they don’t tell you about choosing what you want to do at five years old. You’ll have to keep choosing—and wisely this time.

TL;DR: If you picked a lifelong passion as a child like I did, you still have endless opportunities to figure out who you are. If you didn’t, don’t worry. You’re probably better off anyway.


Students get 10% off on ice cream, froyo, soft serve, and more at NYC’s 16 Handles.

By Oshmi Ghosh

Oshmi Ghosh is a rising junior at NYU’s College of Arts and Sciences, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English with minors in Creative Writing, History, and Entertainment Business. You can usually find her appreciating the simple things in life: tea with milk and sugar, a good book, and/or intensely competitive board games.


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 encourages 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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Chapter 1: Two Dreams, One Me

Tuesday, June 10th, 2025
A picture of myself at my favorite restaurant

Hey, welcome to my first-ever blog! I am Marzia—part engineer and part writer, but a full-time yapper. Stick around—it might get messy, but it’ll be fun!! 

My childhood was filled with countless ferry rides from my city to my grandma’s house. As the ferry cut through the gloomy water, I would always stare at the buildings along the shore. They didn’t seem just like structures—they seemed like interesting designs. I would spend the entire time staring at them, the windows, the colors, the shapes, the balconies, and the way they stood next to the water. Sometimes, I would even take wild guesses about the materials used or the money spent on building them, and at other times, I would be too busy wondering how the design could have been better.

It wasn’t long before I started experimenting on my own. On my eighth birthday, my parents gifted me a Lego set. It was more than a toy to me; it was a door to my imagination. I was building hundreds of buildings in a day, experimenting with each one. Each structure was a new challenge—could it be taller, stronger in the base, and more color-oriented? Every time I finished one, I would run around the house to show off my masterpiece. When I was done being showered with compliments, I would take it apart and start over, hoping to come up with a design even more intriguing. 

The more I built, the more I began to believe that I could be an engineer. And the more I believed, the stronger my desire to be one became. So I did everything I could to be an even better engineer. The math geek that I was, I tried to skip every basic arithmetic lesson and dive into the math involved in making real buildings.

As a full-on math nerd, I used to hate writing. But when COVID-19 hit and I was stuck at home with the same three people every day, I started to go a little crazy. That’s when I was struck with a shocking desire to journal. I wanted to write down everything I was doing in the day as if I was going to suffer from memory loss the next day. I still don’t know why.

The more I wrote about my days, I more I discovered that damn I can write?!?! I would try to be poetic and use insanely long formal words to describe simple things. Instead of writing “I took a sip from my cup of coffee,” I would try to write some ridiculous, thing as “I delicately sipped from my cup of coffee, allowing the warmth and bitter aroma to settle before continuing with my thoughts.” Before I knew it, I was writing stories, editing them, and proofreading them. 

As the days of the lockdown extended, my writing habit turned into a ritual I couldn’t live without. The engineer in me couldn’t believe it: I was falling in love with writing. When my works finally got published in physical books, I knew I couldn’t turn my back on writing anymore. 

Just like that, my dream of being an engineer expanded—I wanted to be a writer too.

Funny how the worst times can bring out parts of you that might’ve stayed hidden. Without COVID, I don’t know if I would’ve ever met the writer in me. I was so set on being an engineer, I never even thought about writing. But when everything shut down and the world got quiet, I had nothing but time and thoughts. Writing became my way of making sense of it all. What started as something to pass the time turned into something I loved. Now, I am someone with two dreams, two passions, and two identities.


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By Marzia Seemat

Marzia Seemat is a sophomore at NYU studying civil engineering and creative writing. She loves being close to nature, especially at the beach. Her favorite things include good food, morning tea, hour-long movies, and spending time with the people she loves.


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 encourages 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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See You Next Time!

Monday, June 9th, 2025
A selfie for the road 🙂

My Chapter at Campus Clipper has come to a close. I am so, so grateful for all I’ve learned through this internship and the many ways I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone in the past year!

It may not come as a surprise after I’ve written all these blog posts attempting to give some tips and tricks to college students, but I actually don’t have all the answers, nor do I like pretending I do. At the start of last year’s fall semester, I started these blog posts with a focus on journaling because that was what I felt like I knew best. I still firmly believe that journaling kept me somewhat sane throughout high school and college, and without it, I don’t know where I would’ve ended up. Because of how much journaling helped me, I wanted to share the tactics I’d learned with others. It’s inexaplicably cathartic to write letters you’ll never send, to rant and rage on a piece of paper and burn it, to jot down senses and notes of appreciation, to exist as something that isn’t up for anyone else’s perception, unless, of course, you decide to publish your journals (or you’re like Emily Dickinson, whose sister published her letters, journals, and poems posthumously against her behalf).

When the spring semester began, I wanted to broaden my topic to more than just journaling as a self-help tool, so I branched out into self-care and wellness in general, though I didn’t have too much expertise on such. I did, however, have fun researching faux supplement trends, how to protect your peace in unhealthy environments, and ways to navigate digital life and mental health. I even started recording and editing podcasts about these topics, which was very new to me. Least to say, it’s been a ride, and a rewarding one!

Of course, all good things must come to an end. The truth is, as I board the halfway mark of my master’s degree and my year of being 25, I find myself having a perfectly scheduled quarter-life identity crisis. I simply don’t do a lot of the things I used to, and I’ve started to find difficulty in settling with that information. I haven’t touched my camera in ages, I haven’t journaled much these last few months, and it has become nearly impossible for me to write creatively as opposed to nonfiction or satire, as I feel almost unable to channel deep, passionate emotions into my writing the same way I used to. My reading habits are inconsistent. My Last Four Watched is too commercialized to actually log. Realizing all of these things is a tell-tale sign that I’m in a more transitory period than ever, personality-wise. Most of what I’ve always felt attached to has shifted, or been put on pause, and I’m in the midst of sorting out what I want to come back and what I want to bring in. 

For a long time, journaling was my coping mechanism AND my main form of writing. It was where I went to understand my feelings and process them. It was where I’d go to say my worst, most unhinged thoughts. It was where I let the other, less composed part of me live, in a way. I still think journaling is that place for me, but I’m not sure I’m in the mental headspace where I need it anymore, at least not as much as I used to. Maybe it’s the fully formed frontal lobe! Despite all the changes I’ve gone through, journaling was something that made me feel tethered to what I thought was a permanent version of myself, someone I thought I was inherently supposed to become.  It feels weird to not have journaled or taken pictures in a while, as I’ve pretty much been consistently doing both for the last 10 years. All that is to say, my creative endeavors are headed somewhere, but I’m not quite sure where yet.

 Thus, my blog writing journey at Campus Clipper has met its end. I hope to see you at my next spot!

-Brenna

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Just Around the Corner: Burgers and Beers

Wednesday, June 4th, 2025

Two steps away from Tío Pepe, the Spanish restaurant I previously reviewed with my good friend Brady, is another incredible eatery for local students and young professionals looking for a savory bite after internships, classes, and work hours. While the next-door establishment does not specialize in large European spreads, the menu carries its own assortment of popular food: classic American cuisine. Burgers and Beers is a sit-down spot just around the corner from New York University, which pays homage to the most stereotypical foods offered in the patriotic land of red, white, and blue. After all, it’s right there in the name.

The homey brick wall to my left had an abundance of fun signage.

Brady and I started with a simple platter of onion rings upon settling into the quaint room decorated with Americana paraphernalia. He sipped on a flight of multi-colored beers as we sampled our first appetizer. The piping hot onion rings were the size of softballs, with thick, fried, and crispy breading. A generous side of ranch complemented the soft-centered starters and the basket of tender chicken wings that followed.

Brady’s flight of beer paired well with our onion rings.

“The onion rings were hard to beat! Loved the ranch as a dipping sauce. The rings were crunchy and there was a good taste of flavors overall,” Brady raved. “The wings have a nice flavor, though are not very spicy. So they’re good for people who don’t want that, like me. The sauce these flats and drums come with does have a nice aioli/chipotle ranch taste that really gives them a nice tang.”

The crispy chicken wings did not disappoint in texture or appearance!

We ordered our speciality burgers and a whopping side of bacon cheese fries to share throughout the afternoon. My friend selected the standard American burger, while opted for the French onion soup burger. Although the bread is typically a simple brioche bun, the staff noted that patrons can request for gluten free bread and additionally displayed the entree picks for vegetarians.

The over-easy egg from the classic American burger oozed out as my friend tried to eat it.

“The American burger filled me up so quickly that I had to save the rest for home. I always love an egg on a burger. Really good bacon beef and cheese here!” my friend ecstatically reflected. ”Loved the fries themselves. Crunchy fries were a perfect texture plus with cheese and bacon that doesn’t feel too greasy, which is nice.”

We devoured this platter of melted cheese and chopped bacon atop a bed of french fries.

My beef burger was characterized by its golden-brown bread, thick cut of meat, sweet, sliced onions, and a variety of seasonings that blend together to create a sensational meal. I deeply appreciated the French onion soup inspiration, as this piece was completely unique compared to burgers found at nearby fast food joints.

A close look at the french onion soup inspired burger.

“I tried the french onion soup burger and loved the taste! For being a soup burger, it’s not too wet! The onions were good and caramelized,” Brady thought.

As an underage customer, I was unable to sample the second-half of the restaurant’s title. I left the reviewing and note-taking to my company.

“I did like the on-tap beer. Duck black, a nice porter, dark, but good taste. IPAs are not my favorite,” he confessed. “But both the coney island and lagunita were decent, and of course, yuengling lager was easy to drink.”

Brady showcases his different beers, completing them all before we finished our meal.

A sharp contrast to Tío Pepe, Burgers and Beers serves both traditional, meaty burgers and ones with a twist. The cozy interior houses a selection of beers and fun American posters, serving as a perfect place for both students and tourists. 

“Burgers and Beers is a really nice cozy place specializing in unique burgers with some sides offered. With a choice between beef, chicken, and an impossible burger, anyone will be able to find and enjoy one of these unique burgers!” Brady reviewed.

Our starting spread before it was demolished.

Students interested in trying their extensive eatery can use the Campus Clipper coupon and present a valid student ID to claim a discount. Burgers and Beers has one location, just next to Tío Pepe, another partner of our coupon magazine!

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Just Around the Corner: Tio Pepe

Monday, June 2nd, 2025

I recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Peace and Justice Studies, indicating my time in New York City would be wrapping up before I begin summer vacation back in my suburban hometown. To celebrate commencement, my fellow senior friend, Brady, joined me for an evening at a dimly lit, moody restaurant serving Spanish cuisine and providing live music. Tio Pepe, a Manhattan locale just around the corner from New York University, showcases talent on Thursday and Sunday nights for their patrons as they consume European breads, meats, and desserts.

The simple choice for an appetizer were the chips and guacamole, which have an adjustable spice-level suited to the customers’ liking. Brady confided his typical disinterest in avocados and guacamole, though the two of us finished the traditional starter. We sipped on drinks throughout the evening, with Brady enjoying his Sangria and I indulging in various mocktails.

One spotlight of the night was the classically perfect guacamole with chips and salsa.

“Chips and guacamole? Super delicious! The chips were perfectly crunchy and salty and the guacamole was a really creamy and smooth consistency, all while still being able to taste all the components,” Brady eagerly began. “My drink was so strong, but had a very nice level of sweetness and was super delicious. For how strong it is, the flavor wasn’t too harsh.”

A ceramic dish of ham croquettes and a charcuterie board followed the primary appetizer, both aesthetically pleasing and undoubtedly scrumptious. The soft, melt-in-your-mouth croquettes were delightful on their own and with the provided creamy dipping sauce. The cheese platter consisted of specialty cut meats and bitter slices of cheese, rather than a smooth or sweet type.

A closer look at the charcuterie platter with chorizo and manchego cheese.

“The jamón croquetas were unreal, like mozzarella sticks on steroids. The aioli sauce is so delicious and pairs with the mashed potato-like yuca flavor of the croquettes. It’s a definite must try!’ Brady raved. “I liked the charcuterie board, especially the delicious Serrano ham. Chorizo has a really nice smoke to it. As someone who doesn’t typically like a harder cheese, the manchego was really nice. It paired with the chorizo and ham, plus the bread was very fresh and had a perfect audible crunch when I bit into it.”

My main course was a large serving of lobster ravioli, plated elegantly amidst a tomato sauce and acted as a sharp contrast to my cherry-topped pina colada. The dimple garnishing of cilantro and parmesan allowed for the dish to speak for itself. I wholeheartedly enjoyed the entree among the sounds of casual conversation and soft laugher emitting from surrounding booths.

A serving of the creamy lobster ravioli, garnished with greens and cheese.

“For the lobster ravioli—I am not a tomato fan, yet I still really liked the sauce. Pleasurable consistency of the lobster ravioli. It all blended together really well,” Brady commented. “I believe I got the chicken al ajillo, which reminds me of the taste of chicken off the grill during the summer, but the saltiness of the garlic sauce kept the chicken very juicy. The rice is really nice, too. Very classic Spanish rice and still tasty.”

Brady’s beverage and meal for the night at Tio Pepe.

Tasting the Spanish flavors, suggested by the amiable manager who regularly checked on us throughout the evening, was a pleasant change of scenery and cuisine. I fully intend on returning to have more ham croquettes and drinks on a summer Sunday night. Tio Pepe was a lovely choice located in a familiar area for many students, acting as an excellent date-night spot or a fancier after-class dinner.

“This place has a really amazing aesthetic with a beautiful open front that looks onto the street, with great lighting, music (live or otherwise!), and so many interesting nooks and crannies to be seated at. The food was really delicious with a lot of different comforting flavors, from the guac and the starters to the main dishes. Need to come back to try more!” Brady admitted. 

Since our dinner, Brady has returned and plans to perform his original music at their open-mic nights. The Spanish establishment is a brisk walk from the NYU campus, establishing it to be an ideal spot for a group hangout area, whether it be for drinks or a three course meal. Tio Pepe has partnered with the Campus Clipper to offer students a discount when they present our coupon with their valid student ID.

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