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Posts Tagged ‘savings’
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Thursday, August 27th, 2026Click on the image or the link in the text above to start saving!
How Fashion Builds Community
Wednesday, August 5th, 2026
Some may argue that clothes are a simple matter of wearing whatever is most comfortable, creating the illusion of materiality. Yet, the opposite can too be true.
When the wearer chooses items based on color, shape, or design, they are often signaling something underlying. Baggy to flowy to fitted — the fit of clothes becomes an identity expression. Choosing to be comfortable tells society that you care little about what it thinks because you prefer being flexible, but in contrast, wearing skin-tight clothes can have the same effect. This is because the perspective is all about the person wearing the clothes: how they perceive themselves in relation to others and vice-versa.
At my women’s college, fashion conveys what words cannot. Electric pink hair might mention someone’s desire to tell the world how lame it is to fit into boxes. Tuscan-style with chunky belts and cowboy boots arm people with a no-so-secret desire to travel (the pursuit of the most curious or adventurous types of people). Even things like the choice of loafers over sneakers could communicate someone’s desire to follow their own modesty or serious nature.
Take, for instance, myself. I am not shy to admit that I am a transformer, always trying different styles and colors. On days when I wish not to be perceived, blending in with my own understanding of mundanity, I will wear baggier clothes with much simpler cuts, designs, or no frills at all. No make-up is automatic. Call it basic if you will. However, on days when I want to experiment and express my displeasure, the color black becomes instant. Coloring very closely to my water line, my eyeliner is smudgy, smokey, and sharp. Structure is one of the easiest ways I express my desire to curse society. Fitted tops with black lace and dark wash jeans reflect my rage and revenge, taking back my own body and face.
I may be a shape shifter, but that’s what makes community easy to find. Because of my interest in multiple aesthetics, shifting through people in search of belonging becomes that much clearer. I learn from people’s experiences, backgrounds, and interests through what they wear, where they shop, and which pieces are their favorite.
Monica wears high quality pieces, unafraid of dirt but takes care of them. This not only tells me that she values the clothes’ materials, but maintains them through her sheer effort. Her lack of fear for ruining her clothes reminds me that she is here to live life through and through. She might seem picky but she is stating her unwillingness to be held back by society and never waits for the “right” moment. She is brave and determined beyond doubt.
Kylie has an alternative style with flowy lace and an array of dark to bright colors. Her rejection of mainstream politics is truly evident in her taste. Sometimes though, you can find her in more comfortable hoodies or sweaters overtop a long white skirt. Her whimsical nature gently appears in these moments. She is persistent and sometimes unyielding but always knows where to put her energy and admit where she might find fault.
Irene loves green and she tends to lean towards more comfortable clothes with a loose fit. She is very understanding and politically active. Her charm comes from the middle of the week when her STEM courses overload her mind, leaving her with no minute to spare. She is resilient and always adapts, sometimes not too easily. She is her own critic; yet, she is rare to criticize others.
From asking where people get their clothes to simply shopping together, fashion has this innate ability to create bonds for people like an underlying signal of likeness. Subconscious choice transforms into purposeful expression; that way we show who we are to others and receive a response. Oftentimes, our expression brings us to become part of a larger collective like music in a way.
Thus, our clothes become demonstrative symbols of us differentiating ourselves in a sea of 8 billion people; yet, we all learn to belong somewhere, somehow.
By Alyssa Hong
Alyssa Hong is a rising Junior at Barnard College, studying Political Science with a minor in English. As a first-generation, low-income student, she writes about moving across the country for college and its adjustments. She utilizes entertainment, wellness/health/food, and fashion/beauty as methods to making new connections with others whilst always learning.
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.
To The Students That Are Looking For ‘Balance’
Wednesday, June 17th, 2026Firstly, congratulations on your college acceptance and moving to the Big Apple! This humid, humming conglomerate of boroughs and subway stations is a pulsing city of excitement. Your heartbeat upon arrival may be currently matching the coursing nature of the city. There truly is no other feeling like moving to New York City.
As I sit here, sweat rolling down from my armpits in early June, I’m reflecting on the biggest tenant of survival that I learned during my undergraduate experience. That being my perception of the word ‘balance’. When I started undergrad, I had a lot of expectations as to what my newest chapter of life would look like, and in maybe a naïve way, it was lots of sunshine, rainbows, and the perfect morning routine. I have documents upon documents of Google Doc schedules planned down to 30-minute intervals, spanning planned activities of 7:30 AM wake-up times, morning yoga, a zen cup of coffee, breakfast meal prep, Pomodoro-method interval study breaks, and more. On paper, this is a very balanced lifestyle, and one I still try to aim for on a consistent level. However, with this excitement of entering college and the tribulations of new experiences, this ‘balance’ can take on a different form.
Yoga is a huge part of my life and has been since I was 16. I found an aptitude for yoga, and really liked this centering through a flow of movement and the practice of breathwork. Moving to such a big city that loves aesthetics, yoga classes are available by the bushel. I figured I could not only do yoga in my shared room, but also start going to a studio somewhat-religiously. My roommate at the time was very into hot-yoga and would go to an hour-long class every day. I thought I would try it because it looked like balance.
I forced myself through one class, slipping around on my own sweat pooled on the yoga mat. I signed up for another one, buying a $40 towel for my mat this time, and shook my way through another sauna-like class. Then, I signed up for a 6AM class. Balance at the time looked to me like uncomfortable persistence and an optimal morning routine that frankly, no 18-year-old needs to complete. This class, I got a compliment on my warrior pose in the first 10 minutes of the class, but then overheated so much I had to lie down for the remainder of the 40 minutes. When the rest of the class went into savasana, I went to the bathroom and threw up. I was so overworked that I went home and slept the rest of the day, missing my 8AM Theology class and the other class I had, with over $100 spent on these three intro yoga sessions.
Hot yoga works for a lot of people, but I had to face it may not work for me. It seemed to center my roommate but provided a negative experience for me. Later in college, I took the courses Yoga 1 and Yoga 2, which focused more on breathwork and seated, restorative poses. This combated my original power-house idea of how yoga would fit into my collegiate life, but after every class, I felt more flexible and mentally sharper for my classes during that day. Not being able to be a ‘hot yoga baddie’ took me aback, but finding yin yoga and pranayama have changed my habits. My thinking of the word ‘balance’ and my perception of myself then adjusted.
There is balance in the excitement of college, as there is equally excitement in finding a holistic practice that grounds you during this time. In finding that balance, there is the remembrance that you are headed to college for finding you and the pursuit of your innate talents.
The corner of my room for designated for yin yoga and journaling my Junior year.
And for a before class treat or after yoga refresher, here is a Campus Clipper approved coffee discount offer!
By: Madeleine Misner
Madeleine Misner is a writer and NYU graduate student in the MS in Publishing program. She loves going out to dinner with her friends, reading long books, and attending spoken-word poetry events. Madeleine always loves to connect with other writers and creative thinkers alike!
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.
Chapter Five: Looming Graduation & Lingering Uncertainty
Friday, September 10th, 2021In my previous chapter, I discussed the importance of being intentional with your time. I only began to realize this in senior year– far later than I would have preferred. I spent a good chunk of my undergraduate years suffocated by insecurity, which prevented me from pursuing certain social opportunities. Once I gained at least some confidence (it’s a lifelong process, isn’t it?) I began to go out more with friends, and I wasn’t overly concerned with how I looked or how much I ate that day. Graduation time crept up on me as I realized I only had a few months of school left.
Then, COVID-19 upended everyone’s lives. Amidst all of the existential dread of graduating and parental pressure, I decided to take the LSAT in the fall with the aim of becoming an environmental lawyer. (This seems to be a right of passage for humanities majors.) When I took the actual LSAT in September, it was far from reflecting the best score I had gotten in practice, and the kicker was that while it made me feel dumb, I didn’t want to be a lawyer anyway: I only wanted to be a better writer.
The reason I decided to pursue Media and Communication again was not only to have some closure after not being able to graduate in the traditional sense, but to do what I’ve always wanted to do: comedy. I am studying Communication because of the dual interest in politics and comedy that The Daily Show with Jon Stewart sparked in me in high school. After the 2016 election, I felt extremely anxious and decided to pivot explicitly toward politics for a few years after completing my first internship at a comedy club.
I think I lost the plot along the way. I became embroiled in the world of politics, when that too never felt like the perfect fit for me. I applied to some Political Communication programs and, although I was accepted, I knew I wanted to go back to NYU. Of course it’s a very different conversation to have with your parents that you want to be a comedian, than the one about wanting to be a lawyer. But if the latter is a lie to yourself too, then why pursue it?
School is a way to grow your network of relationships, and try new things within the support structure of academia. If you’re looking to pivot careers, especially in the middle of a pandemic, going back to school can be a good place to start, depending on your financial priorities.
There’s a really pretentious phrase I recently heard an actor say in an interview that I want to share: “Don’t act unless you have to.” I think you could apply this philosophy to a lot of jobs that may involve constant rejection and (job) insecurity, even though it is pretentious. It took me a long time to finally decide to pursue comedy for myself, which I’ve always loved above all else, and which catalyzed my passion for other fields like public service. But what if I fail? That would be embarrassing. Nonetheless, I now feel that I have to try anyway because I already regret not starting comedy when I was younger. I don’t regret my years in politics (which frankly gave me great comedic material) because I still felt a sense of purpose, but that sense has been relatively fulfilled.
What I hear in “Don’t act unless you have to,” is that if you know you will be rejected often and are going against all odds, but still want to pursue a passion that people scoff at or cringe at behind your back, then you have to do it. For yourself.
For me, that’s comedy. What do you have to do? And who cares how long it’ll take! When it comes time to think about what comes after college, you may be overwhelmed by your options. My advice is to consider: what’s your comedy? What do you have to do?
My advice for figuring it out:
- Don’t wait until Senior Year to have a social life; build your network of relationships professionally and personally
- Consider what you love doing above all else, if money weren’t an issue
- You can do this thing as a hobby, and perhaps work up to doing something professionally if appropriate, or you may prefer to keep it as a hobby
- Your life should not be centered purely around autopilot labor for income
- You will be uncertain about pursuing certain passions until you actually start pursuing them; the “what ifs” will weigh on you in a few years so get ahead of them
- And it is *never* too late or too soon to pivot professionally if you crave something new
- Good luck!!!
By Anna Matefy
Anna Matefy recently graduated from NYU with a Bachelor’s in Media, Culture, and Communication. She has been working in politics for the past few years, and wants to transition into a career in media entertainment/comedy. She will be attending NYU as a graduate student in Media beginning in 2021.
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.
Chapter Four: Comedic & Cultural Entertainment in NYC
Friday, September 3rd, 2021My mental health preservation efforts do not stop with good food and exercise, but emphatically extend to comedy. An overarching theme of what I write about regards being intentional with your “self,” your time, and what you enjoy. I love going to comedy clubs, watching late night shows (from home or in-person through the iota lottery system), seeing movies (which are cheaper earlier in the day/as matinees), and going to museums.
Having gone to college, I know that the experience can be very overwhelming, especially if you are in a new (and big) city. I wanted to attend NYU because I dreamed of working in political satire, which remains true. I knew New York City was where political satire thrived, and that’s where I wanted to be. Still, although it was my choice to ultimately move away from home, I had no idea where to begin when it came to actually exploring the city.
So, I started with late night, since that’s where I enjoy my favorite political comedians including Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, John Oliver (who is not technically “late night”), and Seth Meyers. If you simply Google the name of any of these people/shows along with “tickets,” you will find the link to sign up for the lottery to see them live. Through this free lottery system I have been able to see Sam Bee once, and Colbert twice. These were incredibly emotional and fun experiences for me, not only because comedy has been my passion since childhood, but also because the reason I chose to study Media was so that I could work in comedy entertainment. Because of Jon Stewart’s influence as a political satirist, I even worked in proper politics for a few years after 2016.
Aside from going to free late night shows, I love going to comedy shows. One of the best times in my life was when I had the opportunity to intern at Gotham Comedy Club, which auspiciously entailed me getting to watch two to four hours of stand-up for free every week while helping post promotions to social media. Being mindful of some age restrictions, there is usually a minimum cover fee at comedy clubs, so your evening can get pricey, but it is absolutely worth going to at least one to experience the NYC stand-up comedy scene.
My best friend and I felt that we didn’t always make the most of our time in undergrad, so we made a point to go to as many shows and events as we could in senior year. We saw one of our favorite stand-ups (Nate Bargatze) perform an hour-long special live, and we went to Broadway shows as well. There are often some form of student discounts available for Broadway, or even films, and colleges often send emails about such opportunities– so keep a lookout.
Whatever your passions are outside of school, be intentional with making time for yourself. I had fun in school and enjoyed my classes, but a break can offer rejuvenation. When I felt inspired and/or didn’t have the time or resources to go see something, I took it upon myself to write my own comedy for fun– I have not yet gathered the courage to do an open mic myself, but my goal is to try soon. To mentally prepare, I just remind myself: it’s a right of passage for every comedian to bomb… right?!
For more “serious” cultural moments in NYC, I love visiting the Hayden Planetarium’s Space Theater at the American Museum of Natural History and watching their immersive mini-documentaries on Space projected onto a spherical dome above the audience. Museums in New York are plentiful, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa), the Guggenheim, and my personal favorite: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). The MET has so many sections that I still haven’t seen. They also have seasonal or temporary exhibits, which are very novel. I visited just last week and they had a Dutch exhibit up, displaying multiple Rembrandts (which are very cool and sad).
Whether you love comedy or not, there are plenty of forms of entertainment in New York City, or surely wherever you are going to school. Colleges do a fantastic job of promoting discounted events, so keep an eye out in your emails and school bulletins for any opportunities.
Ultimately, my advice is that you be intentional with your “self,” what you enjoy, and the time (off) that you have.
For those seeking entertainment while in college:
- Be intentional with your off-time; resting/relaxing can be achieved in other ways than just sitting at home
- Colleges do a fantastic job of promoting discounted events, so check your emails and school bulletins for any opportunities/ find Campus Clipper on social media for coupons!
- Museums are always worth visiting; students usually receive significant discounts if not the “pay what you can” option (which can just be nothing)
- NYC offers a lot of free entertainment, whether it means seeing a daytime talk show live, SNL, or late night
By: Anna Matefy
Anna Matefy recently graduated from NYU with a Bachelor’s in Media, Culture, and Communication. She has been working in politics for the past few years, and wants to transition into a career in media entertainment/comedy. She will be attending NYU as a graduate student in Media beginning in 2021.
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.
Caribbean Cuisine in the Bronx – Week 4
Tuesday, August 30th, 2016In the past two chapters I wrote about the two ethnic cuisines that remind me most of home while being a student here in the city. In this chapter I am talking about the best Caribbean cuisine located in the Bronx. Caribbean culture was all very new to me when I first moved to New York. Previously living in California, I did not find as much Caribbean influence there as there is here in the city, due to its proximity to the West Indies. Since the early 1900s, Caribbean immigration to New York City had an influx of people from Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
While all the countries have slightly different styles in cuisine, the majority of the dishes consist of rice, beans, plantains, jerk chicken and oxtail. I asked a fellow coworker of mine where she thought was the best place to get Caribbean cuisine in the Bronx. She was originally born in the Dominican Republic, but eventually gained citizenship and was raised in the Bronx. Jokingly she told me the best place for Dominican cuisine was in her mom’s kitchen, but then she told me about a restaurant called Feeding Tree.
Feeding Tree Menu photo credit: http://bit.ly/2caiNqL
Feeding Tree is located in the Bronx close to Yankee Stadium. Take the 4, B, or D train to the 161 St. Yankee Stadium stop and walk a short distance to the restaurant. It is a very simply decorated restaurant and the menu has two columns “meat dishes” and “seafood.” You choose a dish, and then which size you’d like. Most of the dishes remain under or around $10. Feeding Tree’s most popular dish is the oxtail meat platter, which comes with rice and another side. The service is great; the portions are filling, and, most importantly, you can adequately taste the flavors of Caribbean spices.
Oxtail Platter photo credit: http://bit.ly/2bA84BJ
If you have never eaten Caribbean food before, you should definitely give it a try, especially if you are into Indian and Eastern Asian cuisines. Similarly to those cuisines, Caribbean food is very flavorful and takes ingredients from those places it has been influenced. If you are also interested in immersing more into Caribbean culture, this Labor Day weekend the 49th annual New York Caribbean Carnival is kicking off on Thursday, September 1. This four-day extravagant event will include street vendors cooking up authentic Caribbean cuisine, music filled shows, vendors selling Caribbean jewelry/crafts and a carnival parade on Labor Day. The festival will take place in Crown Heights with the parade on Eastern Parkway. Next week, for my final chapter on ethnic cuisine outside Manhattan, I will be talking about the various food festivals that offer diverse options in cuisine all in one place!
Caribbean inspired costumes photo credit: http://bit.ly/2bw1D8D
By: Tricia Vuong
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Tricia Vuong is a publishing intern here at the Campus Clipper. She is currently studying Journalism + Design at Eugene Lang The New School for Liberal Arts with a minor in Global Studies. Check out more of her work on her portfolio.
For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.
At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful ebooks, we give them a platform to teach others. Follow each new blog post to read a chapter of our various books and to learn how the Campus Clipper can help you follow your dreams!
Stay tuned for more tips from Tricia on ethnic cuisine outside of Manhattan, check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during last year’s Welcome Week.
Become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram!
Cheap Chinese Dishes – Week 3
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2016I am a first generation Asian-American being half Vietnamese and half Chinese. My first language was Cantonese and I grew up eating Chinese dishes. My childhood memories are comprised of going to the Cleveland, Ohio’s Chinatown and eating dim sum on Sunday mornings. Dim sum was always a family event and the whole chaotic experience of ordering from the ladies pushing carts full of dumplings became familiar. Similarly to my last chapter, there are several dishes that remind me of home here in New York. In the last chapter I wrote about the best taco spot I’ve found that tasted and cost as close to the tacos back home in Southern California. This chapter, I am writing about the best Chinese dim sum and dishes that remind me of my childhood.
If you must settle for the Chinatown experience in Manhattan, there is one dim sum place I have been attending that has been able to avoid tourists and remain under $10. Skip the Yelp suggestions of Golden Unicorn, and Jing Fong and visit Sunshine on 27 Division Street. After several trials to other dim sum restaurants in Manhattan’s Chinatown, Sunshine is the most authentic I’ve tasted. It is a smaller restaurant unlike the very extravagant experience you’ll receive at Jing Fong, but the dumplings are always fresh and fairly priced. As most dim sum restaurants, the ladies push carts around the room filled with different types of dishes. The most popular dim sum dishes are typically har gow and shu mai. Har gow is shrimp encased in a rice paper dumpling and shu mai is a pork dumpling.
Front of Sunshine photo credit: http://bit.ly/2bK6633
Har gow, shu mai, and braised chicken feet photo credit: http://bit.ly/2bK5Ilh
The best part about Sunshine is that you share a large table with other parties similar as how they do in Hong Kong. Your party will get a complimentary pot of tea and the rest is up for you to decide what you want from the carts! There are a few vegetarian options but most of the dishes do contain meat so the dim sum experience isn’t for picky eaters. Don’t be afraid to point and ask to see what the dishes are. The ladies speak both Cantonese and Mandarin and although there can be a language barrier for those that do not know either, most of them usually show you what they have.
Walking down Canal Street you pass numerous vendors that are trying to appeal to tourists. If you want to skip the hustle and bustle of vendors selling knock off bags in Chinatown Manhattan, try a different kind of chaotic experience in Flushing, Queens. If you’re coming from Manhattan, hop on the 7 train from either Grand Central or Times Square. Take the 7 train all the way to its last stop, Flushing Main Street. There you will get off and be in the center of another Chinatown minus the tourists. Flushing, Queens offers two Asian malls equipped with clothing and grocery stores along with a food court. The New World Mall is a more Westernized experience while the Golden Mall is comprised of small hole in the wall shops. Both are within walking distance from the train stop. Check out the food court in both the malls as they have a variety of options such as hand-pulled Shanghai noodles and dumplings.
Pork dumpling w/ chives, shrimp, eggs at Tianjin Handmade Dumplings $4/12pcs photo credit: http://bit.ly/2bdhUha
As for dim sum in Flushing, Asian Jewels Seafood Restaurant offers tasty dishes and a great ambiance. Most dim sum restaurants are in large banquet-like rooms with white table cloths and red walls. Jing Fong and Golden Unicorn in Manhattan’s Chinatown appeal to the traditional dim sum aesthetics but their quality in the actual dishes are lacking. Asian Jewels in Flushing meets both of these points to having a great dim sum experience while also remaining budget friendly. Dishes are marked on your party’s stamp card in either the small, medium, or large section. You don’t really know what each dish costs unless you ask, but at the very end of your meal the waiter will total everything up. I’ve gone with a party of six and a party of just two and each time I hardly spend any more than $10. Sunshine in Chinatown, Manhattan and Asian Jewels in Flushing, Queens are the two tastiest Cantonese dim sum restaurants I’ve had here in New York.
Inside of Asian Jewels photo credit: http://bit.ly/2bdfZ7Q
Sunshine: 7 Division St, New York, NY 10013
New World Mall: 136-20 Roosevelt Ave, Flushing, NY 11354
Golden Shopping Mall: 41-36 Main St, Flushing, NY 11355
By: Tricia Vuong
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Tricia Vuong is a publishing intern here at the Campus Clipper. She is currently studying Journalism + Design at Eugene Lang The New School for Liberal Arts with a minor in Global Studies. Check out more of her work on her portfolio.
For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.
At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful ebooks, we give them a platform to teach others. Follow each new blog post to read a chapter of our various books and to learn how the Campus Clipper can help you follow your dreams!
Stay tuned for more tips from Tricia on ethnic cuisine outside of Manhattan, check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during last year’s Welcome Week.
Become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram!
Street Tacos for $1.50 in Bushwick, Brooklyn – Week 2
Tuesday, August 16th, 2016I grew up in Orange County, California and Mexican food was available almost everywhere. From authentic taqueria spots that were open twenty-four seven to chain restaurants like “Rubio’s” that had specials like fish taco Tuesdays, you could find a great dish on any block. After I moved to New York, I was determined to find a great Mexican taco spot that was also cost-friendly. When I lived in the city during my first year, I noticed that although there were Mexican restaurants, many of them were overpriced for portions that were not very filling. Even the Mexican chain, “Chipotle,” was slightly more costly here in the city compared to back home. After I moved to Bushwick, Brooklyn, I finally found a taco spot that tastes as great as it costs.
Bushwick, Brooklyn is historically and predominantly Hispanic. Most residents are Latino: from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and immigrants from Mexico. Bushwick is the largest hub of Brooklyn’s Hispanic-American community with residents that have created businesses to support their own national and traditional cultures. Take the L or the M train to the Myrtle-Wycoff subway station and walk a short distance to Taqueria Izucar.
Exterior on Myrtle Avenue photo credit: http://nym.ag/2brmhTt
Located on the busy Myrtle Avenue between Menahan and Grove Street, this small business has a red awning that you can’t miss. When you walk in, there is just a small counter and a few open bar stools. Most people take their dishes for take out and they also do delivery if you’re in the neighborhood. Along with tacos, Taqueria Izucar offers other traditional dishes such as tortas, tostadas, enchiladas, and others. Their most popular taco is the “suadero,” which is a veal flank taco. Each taco comes with two corn tortillas, cilantro, onions, radish, lime, and salsa. Depending on the meat, prices vary but most of them are $1.50 per taco. If I am hungry, I typically get four tacos which costs only $6, an amazing deal! Even the taco truck outside the Myrtle-Wycoff subway station sells their tacos for $3+. All the dishes are made to order and they also accept both cash and card payments.
Suadero Tacos photo credit: http://bit.ly/2bipzHn
Currently Taqueria Izucar only has 33 reviews on Yelp, but a four star rating. New York Magazine says, “They know their way around a taco at this unexceptional-looking counter-service spot under the rumbling M train.” and the Village Voice has named it their “Best of NYC’s” taco in 2013. Be sure to visit Taqueria Izucar for some authentic tacos that won’t kill your budget. Next week, I will be writing about the best dim sum in Flushing, Queens!
Taqueria Izucar is located at:
1503 Myrtle Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11237 | 718-456-0569 | Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm Fri-Sun 11am-11pm
By: Tricia Vuong
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Tricia Vuong is a publishing intern here at the Campus Clipper. She is currently studying Journalism + Design at Eugene Lang The New School for Liberal Arts with a minor in Global Studies. Check out more of her work on her portfolio.
For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.
At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful ebooks, we give them a platform to teach others. Follow each new blog post to read a chapter of our various books and to learn how the Campus Clipper can help you follow your dreams!
Stay tuned for more tips from Tricia on ethnic cuisine outside of Manhattan, check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during last year’s Welcome Week.
Become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram!
Student Savings on Ethnic Cuisine outside Manhattan – Week 1
Tuesday, August 9th, 2016Being a college student in New York City allows you to have an array of food options to choose from. New York food staples such as dollar slice pizza and bagels are among these options. Say your taste buds are feeling a more unconventional dish, you’re also in luck because the city is filled with people from an array of diverse cultures, and the ethnic dishes they make.
When I first moved to New York two years ago, I was delighted by the variety of food choices I had. If I wanted to eat pad thai one night and pierogies the next, I could. There is a Chinatown, Little Italy, Ukrainian neighborhood, and a number of Indian restaurants in Murray Hill all within one borough.
Indian restaurant in Manhattan Photo credit: http://bit.ly/2bcSG2N
Manhattan is filled with neighborhoods that specialize in a particular cuisine because of the communities that immigrated here. Although it is filled with many diverse ethnic cuisines, I noticed that some of the places were overpriced and had an over the top aesthetic feel. I realized that if I wanted to have a more authentic experience trying these dishes while remaining within my student budget, my best bet would be to venture outside Manhattan and into the outer boroughs.
I am from California and grew up eating authentic Mexican food including street tacos for 50 cents, and also authentic Vietnamese cuisine. Little Saigon, the neighborhood I lived near in Southern California serves a large bowl of pho for three dollars. These are the dishes that remind me of home and I was determined to find places in New York that could comparably make these similar dishes and offer them at a reasonable price.
I highly advise students to explore other boroughs outside of Manhattan. If you are craving Mexican food, instead of opting for the local Chipotle around your apartment or over-priced trendy taco place in the city, venture out to Bushwick in Brooklyn. In my following chapter, I will be writing more about the best taco spot I have found that reminds me most of Southern California, and it is by far the cheapest taco place I have found in the city! In the following weeks, I will write more about the best dim sum in Flushing, Queens, Dominican food in the Bronx, and international food festivals that occur here in New York.
By: Tricia Vuong
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Tricia Vuong is a publishing intern here at the Campus Clipper. She is currently studying Journalism + Design at Eugene Lang The New School for Liberal Arts with a minor in Global Studies. Check out more of her work on her portfolio.
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College Savings: How to Haggle Your Way to the Best Souvenirs
Thursday, October 9th, 2014I have a confession to make. . . . Are you listening? Good. Well, here goes…
I’m a packrat.
I can’t help it. Wherever I go I like to take mementoes with me. My best friend calls me the Souvenir Kleptomaniac. If there’s a free gift or college discounts to be had, I’m there. At restaurants I save the little business cards and menus and circle what I ate. I keep receipts from purchases in other countries just because there’s a different language on them. I’m a sucker for nostalgia and remembering my trip in every detail possible is important to me. Although people aren’t generally this extreme, the act of bringing home a keepsake is usually one that people follow. The most important thing about souvenir shopping is getting the most for your money without going bankrupt.
As discussed earlier, sometimes it’s hard to pack everything you need in one suitcase. However, make sure you leave some extra space in it so you have room to bring things back. You don’t want to have to buy an extra piece of luggage to fit everything you want to bring home. Extra luggage means more plane space, means more money out of your pocket.
Be wary of scams.
If you’re going to a country that makes a lot of money off of tourism chances are the people there are waiting for you: and they’re prepared. They want your business and they want you to spend your money on keychains and postcards and bottle openers with funny sayings on them. Don’t feel the need to do your entire souvenir shopping in one day at the same place.
My friend bought a hat from a vendor in China for 25¥ ($5!) that ripped only seconds after purchasing it.
Do not buy souvenirs at the airport.
Those T-shirts that say I HEART [insert country’s name here] aren’t going anywhere. You will see them wherever you go throughout the country, and will probably get a better deal on them in other stores than in the first one you see.
Learn to haggle.
And don’t be ashamed of doing it! The locals want your money, and chances are the initial price they are asking for that miniature sculpture of that famous landmark is a lot higher than they expect you to pay. Haggle with vendors for a better deal. If you are uncomfortable with the asking price—walk away! You’re not obligated to buy anything, and many times walking away will encourage vendors to immediately drop their asking price.
We bought cute panda hats in China that we found a week later for half the price.
Save your money for one priceless gift for yourself.
That’s not to say don’t buy yourself anything else the whole trip. However, study abroad trips leave lasting impressions. Having one precious item to take home from your adventure will mean a lot to you in years to come.
My favorite purchase of the trip: a Jade necklace. It’s very special and something I will treasure forever.
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–Sam Levitz is a graduate of Brooklyn College and went on the CUNY Study Abroad trip to China the summer of 2013. Follow her on Instagram: slevitz
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