Chapter 5: A different kind of college story

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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Dreamland Ch. 5: Worldbuilding at 2am, breakfast at noon

July 9th, 2025

There is one thing that any artist understands: the elusive “zone.” The runner’s high of writing. Your brain, your heart, and your fingers forming a holy trinity. The story unfolding on its own. It’s a constant chase, finding the zone. It escapes you, but you don’t escape it. Some people melt into it, some dissolve completely, while some throw pebbles at it until it remembers that you’re still there waiting. I covet this feeling all the time, even when I’m working on schoolwork or writing an email. Hell, even this chapter. I feel the healthiest when I’m at my most productive, and vice versa, but per the last chapter, striking this productive balance is a battle of its own.

Something that’s been fairly difficult to admit to myself is that in order to be productive, I need structure. I’ve always been an imaginative kid at heart, and I’ve always aspired to have free time and flexibility. In my mind, this gives me the space where I have the most control, where I decide what I do, and I determine my own capabilities and limits. Instead, I retreat into a less productive, less ambitious, less willing version of myself, when I am normally very eager to be doing something. Idleness is one of the worst feelings to me, and yet I seek it out so frequently.

If I don’t have something to do in the morning, I don’t get out of bed before 11 AM. Without classes and deadlines, I spend the hours until lunch on my phone or computer doing nothing. In the evening, I might push myself to write half a chapter or work on something for my internship, or at least talk to my friends in a way that feels emotionally or intellectually stimulating. But ultimately, the day ends the way it did the night before, with me thinking to myself, “Tomorrow will be better. Tomorrow won’t be a waste.”

In my most introspective moments, I wonder if this regression happens because it’s safer than trying and failing. Safer than realizing I’m not as good as I’ve been made to believe. Safer than confronting my shortcomings. Or I might just be lazy — until, of course, I know that something is expected of me by someone else, and I have a time limit. 

None of us need a Hallmark card to know that the only real failure is a lack of trying. 

Still, the pressure of a blinking cursor near equals the potential. I am just as anxious as I am excited. Every day, I wish I could airlift the beautiful images I’ve conjured in my head and put them to paper without having to lift a finger. I can imagine all I want, and I do, but if I want to write, I have to just write. 

In my experience, the strategy is to be willing to write without the zone. If you’re a student, or you work, or you just have many obligations, you likely will have long stretches of time only once or twice a week. Which is why you can’t be afraid to just spend five to ten minutes writing uninspired paragraphs of nonsense that you can return to when you’ve actually found the zone, gawk at them because they’re so bad, and edit.

This is a tough habit to contend with because it makes my fear of mediocrity a self-fulfilling prophecy. I delay writing because I don’t want to be bad at it, and every time I try writing, it’s bad — and I just have to accept that. Consider it a sort of exposure therapy, and remember that by writing something, literally anything, you’ve already evaded failure. 

As you do this, structure will follow. You’ll find the times of day that feel the most motivating. You’ll improve as a writer, little by little, until you’re confident enough in writing past those ten minutes, maybe even reaching a whole hour. You’ll realize you have a couple boring, unoccupied hours here and there. Once you develop a willingness to start writing, set timers and do nothing but write until the alarm goes off. You might not begin in a zone, but you’ll induce one and stay there for longer than you expect.

The idea here is to stop crucifying yourself for not meeting your expectations of productivity or quality but to also stop enabling your lazy behavior. Not everyone can naturally fall into an ideal routine, especially in a world with so many things begging for your attention. 

Your attention is so much more valuable than you think. Direct it to fulfilling, meaningful activities. If you think you aren’t good enough, prove yourself wrong. 

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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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It All Started With A Play

July 9th, 2025

When I started college as a freshman, I had this image in my head of what I wanted to do in my life. Before I was accepted into school, I had declared a major in business management and hoped to join the dance program, as I was a dancer in high school that wanted to continue my training and eventually open up my own dance studio franchise.

My very first semester, I had taken a course called gender, race, and class, which was something I wasn’t necessarily interested in but took because I needed the credits. For the final exam, each student had to create some kind of visual or written presentation on a certain topic we had learned. Most of my classmates decided to write an essay or draw a picture, but I decided to do something different and write a play. When I wrote the play, I thought nothing of it and turned it in thinking I was done with the class. When I received the feedback for my professor, she gave me a perfect score and urged me to publish it, claiming that I had a knack for creative writing.

One of the most overlooked advantages of college is utilizing the relationships in college. The people around you can really shape your entire experience, from how you perform academically to how supported you feel emotionally. The professional and academic connections can change your outlook on certain topics you learn and even change the trajectory of your career, making these relationships some of the most important. I would have never known I had a knack for creative writing without the proper connection from my professor. 

Your professors and classmates are more than just people you see in class. They can become mentors, collaborators, and part of your support network. As someone who was not very actively speaking in class, I felt behind with the classwork because I didn’t ask questions. When I finally pushed myself to go to office hours, I realized that most professors want to help and they notice the students who are engaged. They remember the ones who ask for clarification or show interest beyond the test. 

A professor helping a student during office hours. Image Credit: https://www.towson.edu/cofac/resources/

I talk a lot about my mental and physical health, and how it affects my learning abilities, particularly last semester. When I was really struggling with the one class, I anxiously reached out to my professor and explained my situation. That professor was very kind and offered a lot of flexibility for me. When you build relationships with your instructors early on, it’s easier to ask for help when life gets hard.

As far as professional relationships, whether it be your academic advisors or alumni mentors, these people aren’t just there to fill out forms or sign off hours, they can offer guidance, encouragement, and real-world connections.

Last semester, I realized I’d be graduating a semester behind. When I spoke to my academic advisor, she and I worked together to devise a plan so that I didn’t have to jam pack my schedule and be overwhelmed. She also encouraged me by saying that it was normal for most students to graduate a little late. 

Not all relationships are easy. Some professors are rigid. Some classmates are competitive. Some advisors are hard to reach. But even when it’s tough, you can still learn how to advocate for yourself, navigate difficult dynamics, and build relationships with people who do want to see you thrive.

When you’re building and maintaining relationships, there are several ways you can take to maximize your college experience. The first and most important tip to me is to introduce yourself early. Whether it’s a professor or classmate, take the first step. A simple “Hi, I’m ___” goes a long way. The second one is to ask questions and show interest. Professors especially remember when you’re curious and engaged. The third one, which I also feel is very important, is to follow up. You should always send a thank-you email, schedule a check-in, or stay in touch after a helpful meeting. The fourth and final one is to show gratitude. When someone helps you, let them know how much you appreciate and how much it has helped you.

College is not a solo journey, but a community experience, and the people you surround yourself with can either support your wellness or strain it, so choose wisely and invest intentionally. Never be afraid to reach out, even if you feel anxious about it, because sometimes the right conversation changes everything.

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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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Crash Course Connections Ch. 5: The Third Space

July 9th, 2025

College campuses are inherently conducive to connection and community. From frat life to campus food halls, cafes, and sprawling green lawns for picnics and post-class hangouts, they often serve as self-contained bubbles of social activity. It’s easy to forget the vastness of the world beyond your college gates when everything you need seems to exist within them. NYU, however, famously brags that though it doesn’t offer the traditional campus experience, “the city is your campus.” And honestly, that mostly checks out.

During the fall and spring, from West Houston to Union Square, NYU students are everywhere. We flood the cafes, comb through the thrift shops, linger at halal trucks, and turn every bookstore into a study nook. In a borough of nearly 1.7 million people, I still manage to run into my campus crush, my favorite professor, and my academic nemesis all in the same week.

But one of the most underrated perks of going to a school “without walls” is the natural encouragement to explore third spaces—places that exist outside of school and home. These are the environments where you start to find yourself beyond your student identity.

A third space is defined as any social setting outside of one’s home (the first space) and work or school (the second space). It’s where people gather, interact, and slowly, sometimes unintentionally, build community. Coffee shops, libraries, parks, gyms, and even online spaces can all function this way. For me, third spaces have been the key to experiencing connections that extend beyond the classroom.

Photo of La Colombe off Lafayette taken from bar.

One of my favorite third spaces is La Colombe—the location on Lafayette Street, specifically. It’s a chain, sure, but there’s something about this particular cafe that drew me in. It started out as my go-to alternative when Bobst Library started to feel a little too stuffy. I liked the light, the energy, and the cold brew. But then one of the baristas told me I looked like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, and I was hooked (pun very much intended).

From that point on, I became a regular—not just because of the caffeine, but because of the people. I got to know the baristas by name, and before long, they became my first real friends outside the world of NYU. It started to feel like its own little ecosystem.

Midterms season rolled around, and I needed an outlet. I’ve always used baking to decompress, but my roommates could only eat so many brown butter cookies and Basque cheesecakes. So, I brought a few treats to the cafe. The reaction was immediate and warm: ”thank-you” free coffee, and a new kind of reciprocity. I started sitting at the bar whenever I came in. Between rushes, baristas would pause to chat. Sometimes my new friends would slide into the seat next to me on their break and catch up for a bit. Eventually, they invited me to their Friendsgiving.

The infamous barista Friendsgiving.

There’s something grounding about having relationships with people who aren’t students, people who are still in their twenties and thirties but a few steps ahead in life. They aren’t worried about club e-board elections or what their thesis is going to be about. They remind me that life keeps unfolding beyond the classroom and that identity can exist outside of resume lines.

Third spaces give us the rare chance to be seen as full people—not just as students or workers, but as regulars, neighbors, and community members. In a city as overwhelming as New York, it’s easy to feel anonymous. But in a third space, you can start to feel known.

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By Logan O’Connor

Logan is a rising senior at NYU pursuing degrees in Journalism and Politics. She grew up on Long Island, but always dreamed of living in New York City. When she’s not in class or at her favorite local cafe, you can find her wandering the city (film camera in hand) or baking up a storm in her kitchen.

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 andTikTok @CampusClipper, and sign up for ournewsletter 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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Finding Quiet in the Loudest City

July 8th, 2025

There’s a reason they call New York City “The City That Never Sleeps.” New York is constantly alive with people swarming the streets, taxis on the road, subways below, and bright lights above that are always flashing, illuminating the city around you. NYU might feel like a little pocket of community, but even then the sidewalks get crowded as kids are rushing to class or the library. Sometimes New York feels like a giant ocean, and you are just a tiny fish trying to swim upstream. However, despite the never-ending chaos, there is a way to find yourself relaxing, floating among the waves of the bustling city. 

If you go searching for it, you will find that there are plenty of hidden spots in the city that can provide you with a sense of peace and relaxation. One of my favorite cozy spots to unwind is The Book Club in the East Village. It is a quaint little bookstore that serves coffee and tea during the day, but once the sun sets, it turns into a wine bar. It is the perfect place to grab a sweet beverage and chat with friends or cozy up in a leather chair, immersing yourself in a good read. They offer a wide selection of books, from children’s titles to the latest adult fiction. The dim lighting and textured carpets make the place feel incredibly homey every time you visit. And when the sun is shining, there is even a courtyard in the back with tables and chairs, allowing you to read under the trees as the sun shines on you from above. And when the sun sets, fairy lights twinkle above you as you read.

The Book Club!

If books aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other spots that can offer comfort when the city feels overwhelming. If you find that you are craving a small escape from the city life itself, I recommend visiting your local community garden. There are a ton throughout the city, but my favorites are located in the East Village as well. Here you can find yourself surrounded by plants, fruit, and flowers being grown by those in the neighborhood. The community garden on Ave B even has a new pond filled with turtles and koi fish. There is even a stage for local concerts and gatherings within the community. Spending time here brings me so much joy because you can find yourself in a little bubble of quiet and nature, letting you temporarily forget that you are in the Big Apple. 

It took me a while to realize that finding peace in New York doesn’t always mean escaping it entirely. Sometimes, it’s about discovering the pockets of stillness hidden in plain sight. Whether it’s a cozy bookstore or a community garden, the city has these unexpected sanctuaries—you just have to know where to look.

Finding quiet in the loudest city isn’t always easy, but it’s possible—and necessary. Your version of quiet might look different than mine, and that’s the beauty of this place. Whether you’re unwinding with a book or tending to plants in a garden, New York will meet you where you are.

So let the city roar, let the lights flash, and the taxis honk. Somewhere among it all, you’ll find your quiet—and when you do, it’ll feel like magic.

Using this coupon for a free topping at my personal favorite ice cream shop in the city!

By: Skylar Park 

Skylar Park is a Film & TV student at NYU with a passion for storytelling and city adventures. When she’s not writing or filming, you can find her running by the East River or hunting down the coziest bookstores in New York City.

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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Making Time for Health

July 8th, 2025

It is always important to stay healthy and take care of oneself. College can act as an obstacle with its overwhelming nature, impeding students from eating good food, exercising and just overall looking out for number one. Time is an essential element to manage if one wants to stay healthy amidst the challenges that college throws at students.

I never imagined that I would have a hard time thinking for myself or learning to act like an adult. For so much of my life I had taken my parent’s contributions for granted and now that I was at school I had to fend for myself, learn how to take responsibility within my own, individual life. Many of the leisures that I enjoyed at home, like a planned dinner, no longer existed at college. Now I had to trudge to the college cafeteria in the mornings if I wanted a decent breakfast before I headed off to my 9 AM classes. This was one of the hardest bits to manage on my own. It was hard to motivate myself to go to the cafeteria in the morning when I hated practically all of the food options that they served, their selection was largely unhealthy. To remedy this I later learned that I would need to buy my own food from the grocery stores downtown, on occasion, if I wanted to start my day off with a somewhat healthy meal.

Getting some food at the cafeteria with friends.

It was a challenging feat for me, however, because I often got very poor sleep on account of procrastinating most of my homework until the night before. This usually resulted in late nights, bad sleep and unsatisfying mornings after. I ended up procrastinating a lot of my work because I often struggled with managing my responsibilities and balancing my priorities. I would do my best to dedicate time during the day to study outside of class, but I often got hungry and had to abandon my studies to make sure I was eating enough food throughout my day. Once night came around, I was usually exhausted, but I still had work to do and I was normally out of time to get it done. This is still a skill I have not perfected, but I have a plan for next year. By combining separate tasks, like eating and studying, I would be able to multitask and meet various priorities at once instead of feeling overwhelmed and dragging them separately out across the day. 

Exercise was another priority that I struggled to get in the habit of. I have a large passion for running and going for walks and when I am home I generally have a friend to keep me responsible. One of my highschool friends and I will run almost every morning during the summer, keeping each other in check. Our consistency was largely rooted in our friendship, we made sure to text each other each morning and leave the house at a regular time (normally 9 AM). At college, however, I didn’t have my friend. I had plenty of other friends, but most of my friends are swimmers and many of them were not interested in running, so I learned that I (like with eating) had to fend for myself. It was practically impossible to motivate myself to run after my horrendous sleep, but I found time later in the day, maybe during a block of time in between classes, to get out and run on one of the hiking trails across from campus. 

A lot of our needs are hard to truly recognize when we accept them as they are when we live with our parents. Our parents provide for us, put food on the table, teach us how to manage our schoolwork and overall how to be healthy. Once we step foot in college, however, it is an entirely different playing field. We have to adapt and find structure in the chaos and uncertainty, finding time to take care of ourselves as best we can.      

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By Ryder Huseby

Ryder is going into his Junior year as a Writing and Rhetoric major at Pace University in Pleasantville, New York. Ryder is a passionate reader and enjoys going to the movie theater as often as he can.

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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Finding home in your “far-from-home”

July 7th, 2025

There are so many perks about going to school that’s not in state, or for some, even in their home country. You get to meet new people, branch out from places that you are familiar with, try new foods from all over the world, and have a huge level of independence given the fact that you are farther from home. 

But at the end of the day… We are all human. We crave familiarity. We crave feelings of security, of belonging.

Of home. 

Coming from North Carolina to NYC felt easier than I know the shift has been for others. Despite living in NC, my heart belongs to Argentina: the home of Futbol (3x world cup winners!), Messi and Maradona, Mate (our signature drink), and dulce de leche. Having my roots there has allowed me not only to be bilingual, but also have experience with cities such as Buenos Aires or La Plata that are very similar in many ways to NYC (just without the European charm that cities like Paris and Buenos Aires share.)

La Casa Rosada (the pink house) in Buenos Aires. Our version of The White House

I travel there often to visit family, as everyone besides my immediate family resides there. I consider it such a privilege to be able to have that culture ingrained in me, and I take my experiences, knowledge, and customs everywhere I go. From eating dinner much later than Americans, to celebrating Christmas the night of the 24th instead of the 25th, these are traditions and ways of living that nothing, not even having lived in the United States most of my life, can ever change.

Messi art I saw on my first day in NYC last August

You may be thinking: “Avril, you don’t seem like you are complaining about NYC. So why write about missing home?” The reason for that is because of the diversity and range of foods, community, and culture that I can find from my home country, in the backyard of my college experience. In North Carolina, it is hard to find Argentine products, as it’s much more niche and the population of Argentines in the state isn’t as large when compared to Colombians, Mexicans, or other nationalities. In NYC, I have a much wider net of places I can try, which was just another reason behind many others why I decided to leave NC for NYC.

I have been to Queens, around Manhattan, and even just around Greenwich Village  to find people and foods that bring me back to my beloved country, even if I may be 8,521 km (5295 miles) away. One of my favorite foods from Argentina has to be the empanada.

Empanadas I had at Sabor Argentino in West Village

Similar to other Latin countries, empanadas consist of a dough (for us, flour-based but some other countries use maiz or other things to make the dough) stuffed with meat, cheese, vegetables, ham, or even fish (mainly for Easter). Argentine empanadas are very unique as they are often flaky, and our fillings consists of ground beef with olives, hard boiled egg, spices, and sometimes even raisins, sweated onions with cheese, caprese, spinach with bechamel sauce, and ham and cheese – among other varieties depending on the province. 

While exploring the city, I found one place in the Upper East Side called Criollas. Using organic, local ingredients, this small shop makes one of the best Argentine-style empanadas I have had in the city, and immediately takes me back home. The ones they sell at this shop are baked, and while we do have fried empanadas, the baked ones remind me of those my mom would make me growing up. They are so comforting on a cold day, and whenever I go I enjoy speaking Spanish to the employees.

Alfajores I made for Valentines Day in 2022

They also sell a small variety of sweets, such as alfajores de maicena and medialunas. Alfajores de maicena are these macaron style cookies made out cornstarch (maicena) and layered between a slab of dulce de leche (a thicker, much richer caramel spread) and dipped in coconut shreds around the rim of the entire sandwich cookie.

Medialunas I made in December

Medialunas are a cross between a brioche and a croissant, and can come either sweet or salty. The sweet ones have an almibar (or simple syrup) covering them, making them slightly sticky and irresistable. They also have versions with dulce de leche and powdered sugar which are so yummy.

They recently opened a location near the NYU Campus (right near the exit at West 4th Street), and with the student discount they have I went a LOT at the end of last semester.

Another place I found that serves some of the best Argentine food is around 50th Street at a place called Baires Grill. It is gorgeous inside, with dim lighting, chandeliers, and very fine decor. Everyone I have talked to at the place is from Argentina, and it’s amazing being able to sit down and talk to someone in your native language. I have been 3 times, and something I cannot stop ordering is their vacio, or steak. Brought to you with chimichurri (a parsley, onion, red pepper, and olive oil sauce for meats) and salsa criolla (red peppers and onions in olive oil), paired with the meat it tastes phenomenal and has a flavor that makes me want to come back for more.

A variety of Argentine dishes, including vacio, ensalada rusa, and milanesa napolitana

I always get it with the ensalada rusa, or russian potato salad, which is a common side dish in Argentina composed of potatoes, peas, hard boiled eggs, carrots, and mayo, which they also prepare exactly like home. You cannot leave this place without trying one of their desserts, my favorite being the flan with whipped cream and dulce de leche, which is the way we do it in Argentina, and it tastes just like the brasseries that I go to when I am back there.

Baires Grill in 50th Street

I spent my birthday dinner there back in May, and I went with one of my closest friends who is also Argentinian that I met at NYU. We bonded very closely over our home country, and I am so glad that I was able to find someone to share things about myself to someone who would understand, and speaking to someone in Spanish while being far from family allows me to feel relaxed and definitely makes the city feel comfortable.

Even if you call NYC home already, or if you come from the other side of the country, or even world – try to find what feels familiar. Find that link, that tether that keeps you grounded and makes the city feel exciting. For me, that was being able to meet people from home, which I usually do not have the chance to do when in NC, and being able to have restaurants that serve home cooked foods from Argentina, which I also don’t have in NC, nor my mom closeby to prepare. 

My friends and I in Times Square on my birthday night after eating at Baires Grill.

You are bound to feel homesick even in a city as fun and exciting as New York. But it’s how you manage your time, the people you find to be your closest friends, and the places  you keep going back to because of the people, the food, or the atmosphere, that will make this place be your second home. The city is your oyster after all.

Interested in empanadas? Love to cook? Get 10% off on quality ingredients to make your own at Lifethyme Market in the West Village every Thursday and Saturday with your student ID!



By Avril Walter

Avril Walter is a Sophomore at New York University, majoring in Drama and Cinema Studies. Coming from an Argentinian background, she loves anything related to futbol, steak, and dulce de leche. When she is not in class, she can be found playing the violin, running, cooking, or at the movie theatre.

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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Niche-ing New York City: Surrounding Yourself with Talent (Affordably!)

July 7th, 2025

One of the best ways to find and develop your own talent is to experience it. Living in New York City, talent surrounds us, envelops us, everywhere we go. It poses for pictures with fans just as it passes us unnoticed on the street; it exists at the top of the tallest skyscrapers and under our feet in basements and subway stations. It may be easy to miss, but it’s not hard to find when you look for it. Here are some accessible and affordable ways to surround yourself with talent in the city:

Student Rush/Lottery Broadway Tickets

My roommates and I after rushing tickets for Shucked. Only $40 for great seats!

Whether or not your niche is musical theatre, Broadway is a must-see experience for everyone – but not everyone can afford $200 tickets. Thankfully, many shows offer day-of rush tickets which, if you’re a student willing to wake up early and wait in line at the box office, can get you in for under $50. This rush schedule is a helpful tool to gauge the time and days you should get in line to secure those rush tickets. Similarly, there are online lotteries that you can enter to win tickets under $60 (including Hamilton, which offers $10 tickets – a steal!)

Script Readings

If you’re an aspiring actor, screenwriter, or playwright, script readings are a great way to experience a panel of actors and a new screenplay for free! Script Club NYC is a group that gathers for table reads at Roots Cafe every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., and writers have the chance to submit their new piece to be read in front of an audience at an upcoming Wednesday meeting! Similarly, The Drawing Board meets every 4th Monday and are taking applications for more actors, observers, and submissions.

Discounted and Free Museum Tickets

At the MoMA. Highly recommend!

Up-and-coming artists can only benefit from experiencing art up close and personal at some of the world’s most encompassing and renowned art museums – for cheap! The Metropolitan Museum of Art is pay-what-you-wish for all NYC residents, which includes out-of-state students of a NYC school. The Museum of Modern Art offers $17 student tickets every day of the week, but all New York State residents are eligible to reserve free tickets for Friday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The newly-reopened Frick Collection also offers $17 tickets to students, and pay-what-you-wish admission is offered every Wednesday from 2 to 6 p.m. NYC Tourism has a great guide to help you find more deals like these!

Free Summer Music and Dance Classes

Whether you’re a musician yourself, a dancer, an avid listener, or find your talent in niches like stage production and event management, the city’s parks are a great place to experience free music and dancing this summer! Parks across the boroughs are hosting huge artists like Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe, popular indie artists like mxmtoon, Still Woozy, and Men I Trust, and talented jazz bands like The Jimmy Heath Big Band and The Captain Black Big Band. You can also find DJ sets and dance workshops to live music. Secret NYC has an all-encompassing list of the lineup this summer!

As we’ve learned thus far in Niche-ing New York City, practicing your talent goes hand-in-hand with surrounding yourself with talents – those of your friends, your mentors, and complete strangers – and learning from those around you. Finding your niche can be difficult for a multitude of reasons: maybe you feel like you’re good at everything or you’re good at nothing, or maybe you simply haven’t heard of your talent yet, haven’t experienced it, examined it, felt a rush of adrenaline and goosebumps down your arms. In future articles, we’ll look at affordable ways to dive head-first into your talent and get your hands dirty, but for now, seeing the beauty and talent in the city around you is a great way to start!

I highly recommend the teriyaki beef rice burger from Kyuramen. Check it out and get 10% with this coupon and your student ID from Monday-Wednesday!

By Lauren Male

Lauren Male is a senior at Pace University majoring in English and Communications, with a minor in Journalism. She is pursuing Pace’s M.S. Publishing program. When she’s not reading, Lauren can be found trying new coffee shops, thrift shopping, and spending all of her money on concert tickets.

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. 4: You are not a sellout, you are just 20 years old

July 3rd, 2025

Every college student struggles with time management, with classes piling upon classes and the additional pressure to build your resume with clubs, jobs, internships. They say every hour of your day should be spent investing in the rest of your life, which leaves nanoseconds for fostering hobbies and interests. But over time, it gets easier. I’m surely not the first to say to you that you should allow yourself free time; that in itself is investment in your future. If you have it figured out, congratulations. 

I do not.

It’s not so much that I overbook my time or even procrastinate. More often than not, I frontload my work and finish all my smaller tasks before the weekend. I take pride in my work ethic when it comes to my academic life, but the remaining time is no man’s land, a space where a million obligations orbit and eclipse one another. When I’m writing, I think to myself that I should be applying to jobs. When I’m applying to jobs or generally lengthening my resume, I want to be writing because it feels more meaningful. I often end up doing neither, and the idleness at once comforts me and tugs at my skin.

This is only a dilemma because my brain compartmentalizes these two activities — writing books, and working toward a good resume — as not only different things but polar opposites. There is a solid rationale here. I’m not pursuing creative writing as my full-time career, which means I have to find other things I’m interested in that suit me. That’s what I suggest everyone does. However, I find myself also separating the pursuit of stability and the pursuit of fulfillment and creativity. 

I end up prioritizing quantity over quality. In many ways, this works. You should apply to and try out as many things as possible to find what you like. But sometimes this habit decays into an ingrained psychology where what I’m interested in does not matter. Anything will do, as long as I am doing it.

Content warning: job application. Image Credit: https://www.verstela.com/blog/tips-to-get-your-job-application-noticed/

In practice, I haven’t done anything that I absolutely despise. Not yet, at least. But no matter what I do, I feel that I should be doing more, something better, something that plants a direct line to six figures by my mid-twenties. I don’t actually care that much about money, but that lack of care itself is a huge privilege that I might someday lose. Rent is so expensive everywhere, entry-level positions require master’s degrees, eggs are a million dollars, and I still haven’t made time to write today.

The more I spiral, the sillier and guiltier I feel worrying about problems that I created. Isn’t it so terrible that I can’t manage my time at a prestigious university because I get insecure sometimes? There’s no “but” here. It really is just silly. What I’m trying to say is that I don’t want to waste the amazing opportunities I’ve had by making no solid, practical plans for a job, but I also don’t want to waste my capacity to care about things outside of these plans. 

Like me, you may be a natural creative and plan to pursue something adjacent to that passion (or entirely separate from that passion, even) with your creative outlet on the side. Like me, you may not know which you should focus on at any given time, because each is unfulfilling in its own way, emotionally or financially. The best advice I can give you is to avoid thinking of your creative passion as lesser or smaller and instead let it run parallel to your practical pursuits.

I’m sort of stating the obvious here, I know, but it’s very easy to abandon parts of yourself when you grow up, and that abandonment begins in your formative years. In between classes and other obligations, you should be making time to tend to your lifelong dreams, even if they end up having nothing to do with your career. Don’t treat them as a waste, and don’t even treat them as a hobby. Treat them as sustenance, the very essence of you. 

And if you want some even better advice, make a schedule for each week. Life-changing.

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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 4: Another Kind of Growing

July 3rd, 2025
Lunch with family on a random Sunday

Sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision to stay home for college. Honestly, I kind of regret it sometimes. I chose to stay because I wanted to be there for my parents. Coming from an immigrant family, I felt this responsibility, like my presence might make things easier for them, like I owed them that much after everything they had sacrificed. 

At first, it felt like the right choice. My parents were happy I stayed, and there was a kind of comfort in being home.  It felt easier in a way. I got to stay in my room, sleep in my bed, have my own routine, and just be the old me. I also liked being around if they needed help with something, like paperwork or errands, or even just to sit and talk. It felt like I was doing the right thing, for them and myself.

Over time, things started to feel different. Staying close meant I was there for everything. Not just the warm family dinners or quick chats in the kitchen, but also the tension, the arguments, the quiet disappointments. I don’t know exactly when it shifted, but once college started and I settled into my routine, I began noticing things I hadn’t before. The closer I stayed, the more clearly I saw them. Not just as my parents, but as people. I started seeing the cracks in how they speak, how they handle stress, how they show love, and how they fail every day.

The more I see, the more I want to run. Not because I don’t love them, but because I know them too well. 

Sometimes, I regret that I’m not growing the way others are. My friends who live on campus talk about doing their laundry at midnight, cooking instant noodles together, and pulling all-nighters in the library. They tell stories about navigating awkward roommate situations, learning how to budget, arguing with friends, and fixing it on their own. They’re learning how to be adults. 

I, on the other hand, come home to food that’s already made. I don’t worry about whether the laundry machine is available or if the communal bathroom is clean. I’m still someone’s child in this house, not quite my own person. And when I fight with a friend, I don’t go knock on their door two floors down and talk it out at 2 a.m. I just sit with it. Alone. 

There are times I want to tell my friends I made this choice for a reason. I stayed to help my parents, to be present, to save money. But still, I feel like I’m not becoming the version of myself I thought I’d be by now. I want to say all of this out loud, but I don’t.

Instead, I nod along when they talk about dorm drama and late-night adventures, even though I can’t relate. I laugh when they joke about bad dining hall food while I’m washing dishes at home. I say I’m doing great, even when I’m not sure what I’m doing at all. It’s easier that way. Less explaining. Less chance they’ll look at me with that mix of pity and confusion, like I’ve missed out on something I’m supposed to want.

And maybe I have. But I’ve also gained something they haven’t.

I’ve learned how to be there for people, even when it’s hard. I’ve learned how to show up every day—not just when I feel like it, but because someone depends on me. I’ve learned how to be still. How to be grounded when everything feels uncertain. Living at home hasn’t just kept me close to my family, it’s brought me closer to myself. I’ve noticed how my mom sighs differently when she’s tired versus when she’s disappointed. I’ve memorized the quiet routines that make this house function, the invisible labor that held my childhood together. I’ve gained the kind of strength that doesn’t announce itself. The kind that comes from choosing the hard thing, over and over, without anyone clapping for you. The kind that builds slowly, through early mornings, through uncomfortable silence, through the ache of watching life happen elsewhere.

It’s not loud. It’s not charming. But it’s mine. And one day, I think I’ll look back and realize this was a version of becoming, too. Just not the one I expected.

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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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