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The Actual Positives of Commuting

Monday, September 8th, 2025
A picture of my dog because getting to live with your childhood pets is the best perk about commuting.

Saving money is the only positive to commuting that you need, at least that is probably what your parents will argue. But when you are taking out loans to cover your tuition, all money begins to feel fake. Saving thousands, but still paying thousands begins to feel like it’s not worth it. In the long run it is, but while you are still in college it is helpful to look at the current positives. 

Living at home

There are lots of particular benefits you get when you live at home. Some of them are noticeable, others you may take for granted. Whenever I get stressed about commuting I like to remind myself of some of the perks.

Here is a run down of some basic benefits of living at home while in college: 

  • Home cooked meals.
  • Snacks (not just a random assortment of dining hall food that you have collected).
  • A kitchen that isn’t communal with strangers. 
  • No housing restrictions. (Also known as have as many candles as you want.)
  • A full size fridge.
  • Your own bed. (No shade to the twin xl, some of the best naps I have taken were on a twin XL. However there is a whole different type of comfort that your own bed provides.)
  • Your own space.
  • You get to live with your childhood pets.
  • Strangers won’t be able to touch your laundry.
  • You also will not have to wait for a washer to be free because all ten are being used by other students. 
  • No fire alarms going off early in the morning because someone decided to burn mac and cheese.
  • No crowded elevators.

There are of course an abundance more, some are niche and personal, others universal. Sometimes you need to rationalize, even if it seems counter-intuitive. 

Saving money means you can spend a little more on yourself–right? 

Saving money means surely you can spend a little more on yourself. Take this with a grain of salt, while living at home you want to be financially responsible. Save money while you can, of course. If you do think about it you are saving thousands, so if buying that cute tote you have wanted or getting your nails done makes you happy, why not? 

Perhaps it is bad advice, but commuting is hard. I have discovered that when I feel put together and have little things like cute nails, which I couldn’t afford on campus, it allows me to feel the positives of commuting instantly. 

Get into that routine

When you are in college, you get into a routine. This is true whether you live on campus or not. The best thing about commuting is there is less disruption to your routine.

You don’t have to worry about packing your life back up again and again. You have everything in one spot whether it is during the semester or winter break. You can go to the same gym, the same coffee shop, the same library throughout the year. There is value in consistency and familiarity. It is comfortable. 

That being said you can get out of your comfort zone if you so choose. Even though it may not feel like it, being in your childhood home and all, there are places nearby that you may have never experienced. If you have access to a car you have the ability to go where you want when you want. Having a car and being at home doesn’t mean you have to go to the same few places you have been going to for years. 

One thing I’ve learned is you can travel and see areas that have been next door to you your whole life. Explore the trails near you and take little road trips to places close by. It is even more fun bringing your college friends from campus to see your town and state with you. Taking the time to experience your home town before you become a visitor in it, is rewarding and can be sentimentally fun. 

Commuting is hard work, but if you romanticize it enough and prioritize yourself, it can still be a well rounded college experience. 

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The Positives of Commuting (Statistically)

Saturday, August 30th, 2025

Statistically speaking, there is one positive to commuting to college–saving money. This post is going to reinforce your decision to commute, because it is a smart one. While it may sometimes not feel worth it, commuting from home will save you thousands in the long run.  

For this post, I have done some research on local dorm and apartment costs. I will be focusing on Boston. According to the Boston University International Students & Scholars Office  (ISSO) resource page, there are an estimated 250,000 students in Boston. Despite being home to many students, the prices are far from college kid friendly. 

Dorm Costs

Many college students reside on campus in the school affiliated housing. Dorms are usually small rooms where students live with roommates. Despite living communally and sharing facilities, the prices tend to be astronomically high.

I have elected to look into four Boston colleges and universities housing costs. While it is only a small percentage of the colleges in Boston, I believe it will be representative of most housing costs, as between the four there is only a slight discrepancy. 

The four colleges I looked into are:

  • Emerson College
  • Boston University
  • Suffolk University
  • Simmons University

The colleges/universities are all located in different areas of Boston. I pinned each location on the map to depict their distance.

Emerson College

My college is located near Downtown Boston, Chinatown, and the theater district. Located right in front of the Boston Commons, the school is in the heart of Boston. Housing is expensive; the college website provides an estimate of $21,652 for a year of housing for a standard double. This estimate includes housing and a meal plan. 

I lived in the dorms my freshman year. Emerson College guarantees housing and ‘requires’ all students to live on campus for three years. If you decide to commute or live off campus you must fill out a form relinquishing your right to guaranteed housing. 

My freshman year I lived in Little Building, the freshman only dorm. I was extremely lucky with my housing assignment as I was given a suite. It was equipped with a bathroom and the rooms were large. However, most people are not lucky and are placed in small rooms without bathrooms.

Little Building is particularly unique as there are lightwell dorms. These dorms are small and have one window that does not go directly outside. The architecture of the building creates a column where dorms face other dorms. Natural lighting is sparse in these dorms only coming from the open gap above. If the window blinds are left open other people can see into your room. It is definitely not worth the high cost for people stuck in lightwell dorms. 

Well I have no experience with the dorm conditions in surrounding Boston colleges, I will be listing their prices for reference. 

Suffolk University

This university is the most expensive on this short list of colleges, with the official Suffolk website estimating room and board to cost students $22,782. This is the price for a standard double, without a kitchen, and the required plan C meal plan. 

Boston University

Boston University has many different types of housing. However to live in a standard dorm (either a double, triple, or quad) it costs $19,970 according to their housing cost breakdown. 

Simmons University

Simmons University provides a breakdown of estimated student costs on their website. To live on campus it costs an estimated $18,146.


A chart created by Simmons University breaking down the estimated costs of attending university 
Highlighted are the room/board costs

Again, this chart emphasizes the amount that commuters save by living at home. While the off campus and at home numbers vary from student to student, the at home is drastically different. 

Apartment Living

Dorming is not the only option for college students. Many colleges don’t guarantee housing for all four years, therefore most people need to live off campus at some point.

Apartments in the city are small and costly. According to Apartments.com Boston is 115% more expensive than the rest of the country’s rent. Apartments range in cost, so sometimes you can get lucky. But even if you win the Boston lottery and find an apartment with a few roommates that will cost you $1,000, you still will be spending $12,000 for a one year lease. This doesn’t include utilities.

I decided to do a quick search on apartments. Using Apartments.com I found a few options. First I decided to use Emerson College as a marker. For anything remotely close to campus you will be paying at least $2,000, if you plan on living by yourself. I found one apartment slightly farther away, but still walkable, with a roommate the rent would be a reasonable $1,500. This apartment only includes a water utility. 

Across the many apartments I searched the average rent seems to be around $1,500. Therefore you will be likely spending an estimated $18,000 to $24,000 yearly for a small apartment that might not include utilities. 

The farther out of the city you go, prices get more reasonable. However, from my own experience looking into apartment living over the past few years, Massachusetts is expensive, even outside of Boston. Not only will you still be spending a decent amount of money, but the farther you go from campus, even in places where you can take the MBTA, you will have to factor this commute into your schedule. 

Living at Home

Living from home and commuting to school undeniably saves you money. According to the Simmons University estimated costs it will save approximately anywhere from $11,000 to $15,000 dollars. If you do it for multiple years, that adds up to a lot of money, quick. 

College is already so  expensive. Tuition prices require most students to take out loans, putting themselves into debt. If students can save any money in the four years of undergrad, logically they should. 

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Car, Train, MBTA–My Never Ending Commute to College

Friday, August 22nd, 2025

By Isabel DeSisto

Boston Skyline by the water
The beautiful Boston waterfront

My commute to college feels as though I am making an attempt to collect every form of transportation. To attend class I must travel in a car, then a train, and then finally the subway. If it were practical to travel by plane and boat, then I would really have a collection to boast about. 

My schedule is built around this transportation. A factor many people forget to consider when commuting into the city is that if you aren’t going by car you are going on someone else’s time. In order to commute you must be aware of the transportation schedules so that a proper class schedule can be built. 

I have never been a morning person, so I pretend 8 a.m. classes do not exist. Instead my first class starts bright and early at 10 a.m.. Unfortunately I can no longer roll out of bed in my pjs and run to class ten minutes before it starts. Now I have to wake up early to make the train that will get me to campus on time. 

My commute to campus takes an hour total. However, because the commuter rail, a train that spans a farther distance from Boston than the subway, has a strict schedule, I end up having to wake up three hours before class. 

So at 7 a.m. I wake up and get ready. I have to make sure all of my essentials are in my bag–I can’t run back home to grab homework or lip gloss. Once I’m ready I sit in my car for a minute letting it either cool down or warm up, depending on the state of the unpredictable New England weather. This has become a ritual that allows me to wake up and be in my own space for a few minutes before I am surrounded by many others for the rest of the day. 

Luckily I have two trains I can get on, an earlier one at 8:13 or a later one 30 minutes later, so there is some room for delays, but not too much. If I miss the later one, I will definitely miss a class, which will impact my grade quickly. Normally to air on the side of precaution, I chose the earlier one. The commuter rail is predictable, but the MBTA (Boston’s subway also known as the T) is much less so. I prefer to be prepared. 

I drive my car down the road to the train station. The radio plays some random song quietly. The ride is much too short to hook up my Bluetooth, so I never bother. I pull in and try to find a parking space in the packed lot. 

I pay for parking–most of the time. If I forget I can count on a nice bill making its way in the mail. I walk towards the platform checking my bag one last time; leaving something in my car feels worse than leaving it at home. 

Once on the train I show my digital ticket and try not to fall asleep. The internet is always comically bad, so I either read or listen to some downloaded music. Sometimes, if I was too busy the night before, I do homework. The ride goes by fast, normally. I know the stops well and the conductors are all familiar faces at this point. 

Once we get to North Station everyone exits. People throw away their coffee cups, others go to stand in the Dunkin line that is only growing. Some exit the building, but many people, including myself, walk straight to the underground trains. 

In Boston the T are categorised by color. There is the red, orange, blue, and green line. I can take either the orange or green, the flexibility comes in handy as frequently one or the other is down. Depending on which is running and which is sooner, I get on, standing as they are often packed. I hold my bag as close to myself as I can to try to make space. I disassociate as people talk or yell. 

Eventually we get to my stop and I exit quickly. The subways are stuffy and humid and I need the outside air. I leave and walk towards campus, which is only a short walk. 

Now that I still have an hour before class starts I walk through the Boston common (a beautiful park right across from my campus) when the weather permits. If it is cold I go to the classroom early, turn the lights on, and wait for others to appear. 

The journey to campus isn’t horrible, but it is hard to balance classes around the trains, and it gets costly. Round trip, the journey costs about twenty five dollars. The semester pass is over a thousand dollars. 

Luckily my college only allows us four classes per semester, so I stack them. The first semester I did all four on one day forcing me to be on campus from 9 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. two days a week. The days I was in class were long and exhausting. The days that I had off I spent catching up on all my homework and readings. It was difficult to balance work, school, and a social life, so it was a schedule that I would never recommend. 

The second semester I commuted I took three classes in person and one online. This balance was much better, and I was able to do all the classes back to back. This upcoming semester I have enough credits to take just three classes. Therefore I only have to commute two days a week. Even so, travelling is still exhausting and time consuming. 

There are many benefits of taking this journey, even if it is difficult. This blog is going to cover the positives, the negatives, and my tips as a seasoned commuter.

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Tasting with Thomas: Mexiterranean Grill Express

Wednesday, August 20th, 2025

Welcome back! You’re tuning into the third edition of Tasting With Thomas, where I explore the affordable eats that New York City has to offer. I’m all for the bites that are going to leave my wallet and my tastebuds satisfied, so today my friend Surina and I hopped on over to West Village’s Mexiterranean Grill Express to see what they had to offer.

The first thing I noticed about the spot was its’ accessible and popular location. No more than a 5 minute walk below Washington Square Park, Surina and I were more than ecstatic to have the option of taking our meals to-go for a nice picnic by the fountain. While the restaurant primarily serves as a takeout establishment, we took our seats at the table and bar seating in the entry way of the establishment.

Upon walking in we were greeted with a warm welcome and attentive service from the Grill’s waitress. We were each presented a menu with an expansive variety of options spanning across cuisines and diets. As a pescatarian, our waitress was kind enough to highlight some of the special offers that featured pescatarian friendly options such as the falafel humus wrap special or the fish taco platter.

If I’m being honest, it took us a minute to decide on our order. There were so many different options, and they all sounded like they would hit the spot. After some deliberation (and consulting our waitress friend) we finally decided on our meal.

We decided that I would cover the Mexican cuisine while Surina would cover the Mediterranean food for our meal. My side of the table was served two fish tacos, which were fresh and filling with their blackened tilapia, pico de gallo, lettuce, avocado and salsa fresca. Surina enjoyed the falafel humus wrap special that filled her plate with falafel, tomato, lettuce, cucumber, humus, and onion all wrapped in a tortilla. On top of that, Surina’s meal also came with a side of beer battered french fries (which are my all time favorite fry) and a soft drink, all for only $11.95!

Surina and I are two peas in a pod when it comes to sharing meals, so we promptly swapped out one half of the wrap for one of the fish tacos and got to chowing down. Funnily enough, we both enjoyed each other’s meal better than our own! Surina was quick to enjoy the fish taco right away. For her, the seafood twang paired with the Mexican flavored veggies hit the spot. On the other hand, the Mediterranean spices springing out of the falafel wrap were the perfect combination of comfort food goodness for me. Don’t be mistaken – we both thoroughly enjoyed and finished both of our meals!

While we were stuffed and satisfied after our entrees, we decided we had just enough wiggle room left for a sweet treat to top it all off. A few minutes later, our waitress brought out a warmed and cakey brownie for us to share. The decadent chocolate chips and fluffy texture were the perfect conclusion to our dining experience!

By this point we were grinning ear to ear from our full bellies and appeased cravings. We waved goodbye and thank you to our waitress and headed out of the restaurant to soak up the sun in Washington Square Park. While we were content leaving at the moment, we both promised our waitress that we were eager to make a return. With a menu that diverse, we’ll definitely be coming back to try more!

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Chapter 7: Facing My Fears

Thursday, July 24th, 2025

Driving always felt terrifying to me. It wasn’t just about the mechanics of it. It was the idea of being in control, or of being responsible for something that could go wrong so fast. That fear kept me from getting my permit, even though my parents had been pushing me to do it ever since college decisions came out.

To be honest, I had planned to take the permit test last summer before college started. But every time I thought about it, anxiety took over. Instead of admitting that, I snapped back at my parents with, “I’ll get it when I need to.“ Deep down, I knew I was just scared.

But this summer was different. I entered this summer with the thought of being a different version of myself. Part of it was because I was fed up with myself. I was fed up with the constant failures I have been witnessing. 

In college, I’m always the one catching up. The one figuring things out while others seem to be fine. And at home, I could feel the weight my parents were carrying—stress from work, bills, responsibilities piling up. They never said the words, but I sensed it through their words. And on top of it all, they were worried about me. Not out of disappointment, but concern. They saw me struggling in college, academically, socially, and emotionally, and they didn’t know how to help. And I didn’t know how to fix all this. 

This summer, I had made all these plans: To run every day. To eat healthy. To get a job. To become that version of myself I’ve always pictured—strong, disciplined, confident. But one by one, I failed to follow through. I let myself down. Again and again.

So I decided that I needed to take one step. Just one. And that step was getting my permit. I wanted to push myself out there and get that license. I know it’s just a test, but to me, it was like finding a different kind of confidence. I took my first driving lesson on June 18th. I remember sitting in the car, gripping the steering wheel like it was about to run away from me.

Fast forward to lesson ten—my hands don’t shake anymore. My turns are smoother. I don’t have to overthink where to look or when to signal. In parallel parking and U-turns, I don’t hold my breath anymore. 

The night before the test, I couldn’t sleep. I kept imagining every possible way I could mess up. At the testing site, my hands felt cold, my stomach twisted into knots. I kept telling myself to stay calm, but inside, fear was bubbling up. My instructor kept saying, “It’s okay if you don’t pass the first time; most people don’t.” And he is right. But I didn’t have it in me to fail. Not this test. 

This wasn’t just about getting a license. It was about proving to myself that I could face my fears, that I could do something hard and come out on the other side. 

Guess what? I passed. Yes, on my first try. 

But I know this isn’t a magic fix for everything. It won’t suddenly solve all my problems or answer every question I have about college, my future, or who I want to be. What it did do, though, was to give me confidence. Remind me that progress doesn’t have to be perfect or immediate. Sometimes, it’s just about showing up, trying anyway, and trusting in yourself. 

That’s the lesson I’m holding onto from this summer is the courage to start, even when I am scared.

Driving always felt terrifying to me. It wasn’t just about the mechanics of it. It was the idea of being in control, or of being responsible for something that could go wrong so fast. That fear kept me from getting my permit, even though my parents had been pushing me to do it ever since college decisions came out.

To be honest, I had planned to take the permit test last summer before college started. But every time I thought about it, anxiety took over. Instead of admitting that, I snapped back at my parents with, “I’ll get it when I need to.“ Deep down, I knew I was just scared.

But this summer was different. I entered this summer with the thought of being a different version of myself. Part of it was because I was fed up with myself. I was fed up with the constant failures I have been witnessing. 

In college, I’m always the one catching up. The one figuring things out while others seem to be fine. And at home, I could feel the weight my parents were carrying—stress from work, bills, responsibilities piling up. They never said the words, but I sensed it through their words. And on top of it all, they were worried about me. Not out of disappointment, but concern. They saw me struggling in college, academically, socially, and emotionally, and they didn’t know how to help. And I didn’t know how to fix all this. 

This summer, I had made all these plans: To run every day. To eat healthy. To get a job. To become that version of myself I’ve always pictured—strong, disciplined, confident. But one by one, I failed to follow through. I let myself down. Again and again.

So I decided that I needed to take one step. Just one. And that step was getting my permit. I wanted to push myself out there and get that license. I know it’s just a test, but to me, it was like finding a different kind of confidence. I took my first driving lesson on June 18th. I remember sitting in the car, gripping the steering wheel like it was about to run away from me.

Fast forward to lesson ten—my hands don’t shake anymore. My turns are smoother. I don’t have to overthink where to look or when to signal. In parallel parking and U-turns, I don’t hold my breath anymore. 

The night before the test, I couldn’t sleep. I kept imagining every possible way I could mess up. At the testing site, my hands felt cold, my stomach twisted into knots. I kept telling myself to stay calm, but inside, fear was bubbling up. My instructor kept saying, “It’s okay if you don’t pass the first time; most people don’t.” And he is right. But I didn’t have it in me to fail. Not this test. 

This wasn’t just about getting a license. It was about proving to myself that I could face my fears, that I could do something hard and come out on the other side. 

Guess what? I passed. Yes, on my first try. 

But I know this isn’t a magic fix for everything. It won’t suddenly solve all my problems or answer every question I have about college, my future, or who I want to be. What it did do, though, was to give me confidence. Remind me that progress doesn’t have to be perfect or immediate. Sometimes, it’s just about showing up, trying anyway, and trusting in yourself. 

That’s the lesson I’m holding onto from this summer is the courage to start, even when I am scared.

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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 25 years, the Campus Clipper has helped college students in New York City—and later in Boston and Philadelphia—save money and succeed in city life. We offer a digital coupon booklet with discounts on food, clothing, and services, plus an Official Student Guidebook with real advice on how to navigate college life in a big city. Our internship program lets students build skills, earn money, and publish their own e-books. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @CampusClipper, and sign up for our newsletter to get deals straight to your inbox. To access the digital coupons, scan the QR code on our printed card—available in dorms, student centers, and around campus.

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Dreamland Ch. 7: Why you should send that cold email

Thursday, July 24th, 2025

You’ve surely been told that the worst thing someone can say is “no.” It’s true, and useful, but I think it’s a bit unempathetic. No one ever tells you how awful it can be to actually hear “no” then have to move on knowing there’s nothing you can do — and no real reason to feel resentful of that response. As a teen writer, I heard “no” quite a bit, from publishers who didn’t work with minors, agents who weren’t interested in representing me because they “didn’t fall in love with the idea,” and other professionals who passed on the work for some reason or another. I just had to accept this and move on, every single time.

Like I’ve said, I’m self-published. Not traditionally published. It’s definitely a hurdle, as there is no reason for anyone to go looking for my books, and I’m still learning how to market myself. But for any young authors out there looking for accessible ways to put your work out there, I definitely still recommend self-publishing. Try out other things, but this is always an option, not just a last resort.

I started off looking for professionals on Reedsy, where you can hire freelance editors, illustrators, etc. to work on your project remotely. I found an editor based in London who provided a more seasoned perspective on my work, even for a book targeted to teens. Then I found an illustrator, but I actually should have found a formatter first as I needed to send the fully formatted manuscript to the illustrator so that she could size the cover and deliver the proper files. This was a mistake I made, and then I did it right for the second book.

The hub for writers and professionals. Image Credit: https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-use-reedsy-to-independently-publish-your-book/

However, the second book had a completely different issue. Due to extenuating circumstances, my illustrator had to drop out of the project. This was mainly an issue because she took months to communicate this to me and didn’t help me find someone else, meaning I couldn’t rely on Reedsy anymore as I needed a quicker response and turnover time.

So I went hunting. I found websites and portfolios that were similar enough to the previous illustrator’s style that they could adapt. I found covers that those artists created that I liked, that would suit the genre of my book. One email I sent didn’t immediately produce a collaboration, but the artist sent profiles of other artists that she thought would be able to work with me. And it was one of those profiles that ended up becoming my illustrator for the second book.

It was a hectic and scary process. Things fall through, and you always have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. I’m so grateful I managed to secure these collaborations each time, and I pray I’m able to keep them for when I’m finished with this third book. 

This whole ordeal reminded me that I’m still responsible for the labor of getting my work out there, since I don’t have a big company investing in my talents to do it for me. If you’re looking to self-publish, send out emails. Find freelancers and professionals that are familiar with young writers and can teach you about the industry. Don’t be afraid to not know everything and everyone immediately. 

Since I had to do all this myself at such a young age, I’m truly an expert at cold emailing. I can’t even tell you how many applications I’ve sent out into the void, how many email threads I’ve followed up on weeks after getting completely ghosted, how many reporters and publications I’ve contacted as a marketing intern. It can be tiresome and tedious, but you never know what lifelong connection you’ll forge from a simple email.

Self-ownership is both terrifying and freeing. It’s wonderful to have control over my work and authority over the people I work with, but it creates so much more labor for me, a full-time student, and also has little to no guarantee of profit. Amazon, which hosts Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), takes far more royalties than I do. It’s quite irritating. If you self-publish, be aware that it does more to build your portfolio than build your bank account. It’s still valuable, but you should definitely look into different ways you can use your storytelling skills to make a long-term career.

Until then, cherish the liberty of being creative. You are no less an author if you publish online. You’re just taking the necessary steps to put yourself out there. Always aim for the stars, but it’s also always alright to just aim for an email back.

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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 25 years, the Campus Clipper has helped college students in New York City—and later in Boston and Philadelphia—save money and succeed in city life. We offer a digital coupon booklet with discounts on food, clothing, and services, plus an Official Student Guidebook with real advice on how to navigate college life in a big city. Our internship program lets students build skills, earn money, and publish their own e-books. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @CampusClipper, and sign up for our newsletter to get deals straight to your inbox. To access the digital coupons, scan the QR code on our printed card—available in dorms, student centers, and around campus.

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What Are Friends For?

Thursday, July 24th, 2025

Maintaining friendships is something I’ve struggled with in my time in college. There is so much talk about romantic heartbreak that we aren’t really prepped to lose a friend. It can be just as painful, especially the kind of friend you thought would be in your life forever. College has taught me that not all friendships are meant to last and learning that lesson is one of the most defining parts of growing up. 

As someone who is more reserved, quiet, and a little rigid when it comes to my beliefs, making friends is very hard for me. It can be hard for me to put myself out there and show my true personality. Throughout my time in college, I’ve made some incredible friendships. People I laughed with until I cried, studied with until 2 a.m., vented about life, etc. These friendships carried me through some of the hardest and happiest moments of my life. But I’ve also watched a few of them dissolve quietly, unexpectedly, or sometimes through conflict I never saw coming.

Some breakups happened because we simply grew apart. Our schedules no longer aligned, our values shifted, or we stopped showing up for each other. Others ended in messier ways. Misunderstandings that were never resolved, hurt feelings that were never addressed, or boundaries that were crossed too many times. Regardless of how it ended, the aftermath always had the same emotion… grief. 

One of the hardest friendships I lost was this past semester. I had my friend in my second semester of sophomore year, and we clicked almost instantly. We had pretty similar lives and bonded over very similar experiences throughout our lives. We eventually became roommates all of junior year and shared everything from meals, secrets, and inside jokes. At the tail end of the second semester, I had changed. I struggled a lot with my mental health, which made me push myself away, causing a bit of a shift. I also wasn’t perfect and did things that I shouldn’t have done, causing the friendship to take a rift. I left the end of the semester with us on bad terms and haven’t talked to her since. In hindsight, the friendship ending was mainly my fault, and now I take accountability for a lot of things happening. Losing this friendship was probably one of the toughest experiences I’ve gone through. I always thought she would be one of my bridesmaids or like an aunt to my future children. I cried for weeks and not because I was angry, but because I missed her.

Although losing my friend was really hard, it did teach me a lot of things. I learned a lot about how I am and how to proceed with friendships in the future. The first and most important thing is to allow yourself to grieve. Whether it was your fault or not for the friendship ending, it’s okay to feel sad, angry, confused, or betrayed. Your emotions are valid even if no one else sees the loss. The second takeaway is to set emotional boundaries. If you’re tempted to keep checking their social media or overthinking every last conversation, pause and give yourself time and distance to process. The third takeaway is to not romanticize the past. It’s easy to only remember the good times, but reflect honestly. The fourth and final takeaway is to make space for new connections. Losing one friend doesn’t mean you’re unlovable. Sometimes it just means you’re making room for better alignment. Take those friendships as a learning experience for someone else you meet.

Friendships evolving into love and unity.
Image credit: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/when-kids-call-the-shots/202208/how-to-foster-friendships-filled-with-love-heart-and-spirit

Friendship breakups can impact your mental health just as much as any romantic one. Sometimes the most painful endings lead to the most powerful growth, and while I’ll always carry love for the friends I’ve lost, I’ve learned to carry it in a way that doesn’t weigh me down. I keep going back to the time I had with my friend and reflect on the positive, which gave me lifelong memories I’ll never forget and cherish for the rest of my life. 

Let’s face it… the best thing to do after a breakup is to eat food. When I went through my friendship breakup the first thing I ate was ice cream. At Sundaes and Cones, you can enjoy a free topping with any purchase. Use your school I.D and enjoy!

By: Yamilia Ford

Yamilia Ford is a rising senior at Pace University with a major in business management and three minors in journalism, creative writing, and film studies. Her passion for writing allows her to inspire through her own creative lens, giving people the opportunity to relate to her.

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 6: The Screen Between Me and Myself

Wednesday, July 16th, 2025

I was convinced I had everything under control in high school, and I even signed up for a debate on “How Media and Devices Shape the Youth.” And guess what? I argued passionately about how my phone helps us stay connected, learn faster, and express ourselves. And honestly, they do — but only if we know where to draw the line. ​​

But looking back… I wasn’t defending this media and devices. I was defending my dependence on it. I was using “productivity” and “connection” as a mask to avoid admitting the truth: I couldn’t go ten minutes without checking my phone. That it gave me dopamine hits, I didn’t want to give up. That I needed it more than I wanted to admit.

For the longest time, I thought this addiction started in college, but the truth is,  it’s been with me for years. I just didn’t realize it until now. You might wonder how I didn’t notice it back in high school. Well…I was wrapped up in my ego back then. My mom used to tell me I was addicted to my phone, but I would always brush it off. In my mind, as long as I kept my GPA high, it didn’t count as a real problem. And to be fair, I was pulling 90s, even while glued to my screen. So I thought, “How bad could it be?”

But then college hit, things changed. My grades slipped. My confidence collapsed. Suddenly, the tricks that used to work didn’t anymore. My ability to multitask, to study with distractions, to function while constantly checking notifications — it all failed me. And for the first time, I couldn’t deny it: this was an addiction. 

I started to realize that my phone had become a coping mechanism. Any time I felt anxious, bored, lonely, or overwhelmed, I’d reach for it without thinking. 

One thing I’ve really started to notice is how much my behavior has changed. I’m almost always in a bad mood. I barely have the will to do anything, even the basics. It’s like I’m constantly stuck in this fog, and I can’t shake it. I used to have drive, ideas, and things I wanted to get done. But now, even getting out of bed feels like a chore. Everything feels forced, like I’m running on empty.

It hasn’t just affected how I feel, it’s affected how I treat the people around me, too. My relationships with my family and friends have started to change, and not in a good way. I’ve become more impatient, more distant. I snap at people for no reason. I zone out when they’re talking to me. I’ve noticed myself getting irritated over the smallest things. I give short replies, ignore calls, and cancel plans. And the truth is, it’s not because I don’t care. It’s because I don’t have it in me to care the way I used to. I’m so caught up in my own fatigue, my own scrolling, my own world on a screen, that I’ve started pushing people away without even realizing it.

The worst part of dependence is that you don’t know how to stop. And even when you do know, it still feels like you can’t. You feel trapped in your own habits, in your own head. And you keep hoping one day you’ll just snap out of it.

But change doesn’t come all at once. It starts with awareness. With honesty. With moments like this, you finally stop pretending everything’s fine and admit that something needs to shift.

And that’s where I am now. I don’t have it all figured out. But I’ve stopped lying to myself. I’ve started setting limits. Whether in the form of feeling guilty after every doomscroll, or setting a timer, or just acknowledging the limit. I’ve started trying, even if it’s messy and slow. Because at the end of the day, I still believe in who I can become. I still believe there’s a version of me out there who’s more present, more connected, not to a screen, but to life.

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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 25 years, the Campus Clipper has helped college students in New York City—and later in Boston and Philadelphia—save money and succeed in city life. We offer a digital coupon booklet with discounts on food, clothing, and services, plus an Official Student Guidebook with real advice on how to navigate college life in a big city. Our internship program lets students build skills, earn money, and publish their own e-books. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @CampusClipper, and sign up for our newsletter to get deals straight to your inbox. To access the digital coupons, scan the QR code on our printed card—available in dorms, student centers, and around campus.

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Dreamland Ch. 6: The Notes App, and other holy grails

Wednesday, July 16th, 2025

If you’re getting sick of my complaining, you’re in luck — I’m finally going to talk about my actual process of writing. My routine is hardly defined and not in any way a rulebook, but I believe it capitalizes well on my sudden bursts of motivation but also works well with a lack of powerful motivation.

It always starts with a note. The birth of an idea, the concept of a concept, that I scramble to make real with text before it fades away. 

I first conceived my fantasy series when I was in sixth grade.My memory of this time of my life is hazy, so for the purposes of this first step I’m going to use a slightly more recent example. In tenth grade, I did a project on World War I and spent a lot of time researching that era of history. I had also been reading a lot of young adult and teen fantasy, returning to recreational reading for the first time since middle school. Sitting in that overlap for multiple months, much of my imagination branched off from this mindspace, and one night I shot up from my bed in the pitch black, already reaching for my laptop. 

I ended up with an incoherent, garbled mess of ideas listed in my Notes App — the early scraps of a duology set in a fictional world based on 1910s Slavic Europe. The main takeaway here is that inspiration will strike quite randomly, so if you aren’t able to force yourself to find it (just as you might not be able to force herself into “the zone”), do what you can to more naturally find a spark. Engage with the things that you are already interested in. Read books, watch movies, learn new topics and skills. While I was fostering an interest in history, I discovered a wellspring of images and narratives. You might encounter the same phenomenon doing something completely unrelated, like with a niche hobby or even while scrolling on your phone mindlessly. You’re never truly mindless, is what I mean.

After this initial conception, I reconfigure the mess into something more comprehensible: a vague summary, followed by a bulleted outline of story beats, and then a chapter-by-chapter outline. Essentially, break your book down, and then break it down some more. Each book in my current series is split into three parts (you obviously don’t have to do this), which helped me visualize the arc for each part and then sever those arcs into individual chapters. I determine what each arc needs to accomplish, so even if I end up shifting chapters around, I don’t lose focus.

For the story I’m currently working on, the third in the series, the main notes folder currently holds three pages: an outline, a bulleted list of various things to look out for during my rounds of edits, and random notes that include a hastily drawn map and outlines for very specific events in the book. For example — spoiler alert — a prison break. 

My three homepages. Don’t mind the caps lock.

There is also a sub-folder for “potential scenes” that I need to have prematurely written lest I go insane with all the circulating images in my head. Remember, your story may follow a certain chronology, but you don’t have to. Even in my drafting, if I don’t have the motivation for a certain scene or I want to skip a little ahead, I’ll type in something like “[more dialogue]” or “[walking along the road]” to signal to future me that a transitional or elaborating scene has to be entered here. If you have the motivation to write at all, don’t waste it — write what feels right.

Of course, the outlining structure depends on the book and what I think feels right for this particular style and/or genre. Below is the way I created sub-folders for the 1910s-inspired story I mentioned earlier. Here I have a section for characters, because of the multiple points of view, and world-building because of the more intricate details of the setting. 

An alternate way to organize your folders.

Don’t box yourself into my process, because I don’t even box myself into my process.

The rest of the method varies. I draft the entire story, rewrite scenes or even entire chapters, and cycle through rounds and rounds of editing until I feel confident in sending the manuscript to my editor. Sometimes, I find things like Google Calendar or Notion helpful to carve out time during the week to work on writing. Next chapter, I’ll talk about the process of finding professionals and self-publishing, but for a long time you as the author have sole authority over your draft. It sounds terrifying, and it is, but it is also liberating.

Your process is your process, ultimately, but I highly recommend taking the steps to make the actual writing and publishing part feel less daunting. It will take more than that to surpass the initial insecurities, but I promise you will benefit from breaking down your ideas into palatable, consumable pieces. Even if things change later on, even if you as a writer and person change later on, outlining and planning will keep the heart of your original idea alive — thus honoring who you were when you woke up in the middle of that fateful night, already opening up the Notes App.

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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 25 years, the Campus Clipper has helped college students in New York City—and later in Boston and Philadelphia—save money and succeed in city life. We offer a digital coupon booklet with discounts on food, clothing, and services, plus an Official Student Guidebook with real advice on how to navigate college life in a big city. Our internship program lets students build skills, earn money, and publish their own e-books. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @CampusClipper, and sign up for our newsletter to get deals straight to your inbox. To access the digital coupons, scan the QR code on our printed card—available in dorms, student centers, and around campus.

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Chapter 5: A different kind of college story

Thursday, July 10th, 2025
Me trying to make a circuit for my project

My orientation week at Tandon NYU was different from what I expected. I saw it on my first day of college. I planned the perfect outfit and makeup to show up as the perfect version of myself. If there was one thing I struggled with in high school, it was limiting my yapping. I’d talk too much, share too many personal details, and often walk away from conversations wondering if I’d come off the wrong way. So, during my orientation, I wanted to have a little balance. With this in mind, I expected to struggle a lot, wondering if I was blending in the right amount. 

But I guess everyone else was just as nervous—so nervous that they didn’t talk much at all. So, I felt like I had to bring my yapper self out just to make the room feel a little more alive. And so I did. And that beginning made me believe that maybe in college I could be a yapper and be okay. 

But then came the first week of classes, where things got real. As time went on, I was swept into the rush of assignments, exams, and the constant fear that maybe I wasn’t smart enough. Being one of the smartest people in my classes for most of my life had suddenly turned into feeling like one of the dumbest. I truly started questioning my place among all these people who, somehow, just seemed effortlessly smarter than me. And that was when I kind of noticed myself going quiet. All I wanted to do was just go to college, attend my lectures, do my labs, come back home, finish my homework, and cry before going to sleep. Amidst this chaos, I really forgot to go out, have fun, and be the yapper I enjoyed being. 

To be honest, with a routine like that, it would normally be pretty hard to make friends. But I guess I was lucky—people still found me friendly. Maybe we just trauma-bonded over the engineering grind. Whatever it was, it made integration in calculus a little more bearable, three-dimensional motion in physics slightly less painful, and those six-hour labs just tolerable enough to survive. 

Sometimes I wonder if people on this engineering campus even get a chance to enjoy college. I see my friends from high school going to parties every weekend, going out every day, posting stories from rooftops and cafes while I’m sitting in the library Googling “how to survive thermodynamics without crying.” For a while, it felt like I was missing out, and maybe I should just be a writing major, then at least I would have some time to breathe. 

It was really tempting. I remember almost going to my advisor and changing my major. After all, I have a passion for writing as well. But I didn’t. I felt ashamed, like changing majors meant I’d failed. Like, I wasn’t strong enough to handle engineering. That feeling hit my ego hard. Instead of admitting defeat, my pride pushed me to try even harder, maybe more out of stubbornness than anything else. It became less about what I truly wanted and more about proving to myself that I could do it, regardless of the circumstances.

Maybe this is what my college journey is really about—not the wild parties or the packed social calendars like some of my friends talk about. For me, it looks different. It’s late nights spent struggling with physics problems, trying to make sense of mechanics. It’s staring at a page filled with symbols until integration by parts finally seems okay. It’s discovering how to design something that doesn’t just look good but stands.

It’s the small victories of finally understanding a tricky concept or the moments of laughter with friends during study sessions. It’s about learning who I am when everything feels overwhelming. It’s about learning how I learn and thrive.

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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 25 years, the Campus Clipper has helped college students in New York City—and later in Boston and Philadelphia—save money and succeed in city life. We offer a digital coupon booklet with discounts on food, clothing, and services, plus an Official Student Guidebook with real advice on how to navigate college life in a big city. Our internship program lets students build skills, earn money, and publish their own e-books. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @CampusClipper, and sign up for our newsletter to get deals straight to your inbox. To access the digital coupons, scan the QR code on our printed card—available in dorms, student centers, and around campus.

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