i graduated college in new york city.
By the time this blog is uploaded, I will have officially graduated school (forever)! I’m currently writing this the day before my graduation. In all honesty, graduation is not as exciting as I thought it would be – maybe it’s because college in the city doesn’t even feel real. If you’re thinking about going to college in New York, or you’re just curious about what college was like for me, then keep on reading. My life completely changed as soon as I decided to attend fashion school. I have learned a lot of lessons, made many mistakes, and figured out who I wanted to be.
Friendships
After 4 years of college, I have about 2 friends from school. I think part of it is because I started freshman year during COVID, so we missed out on freshman orientation and clubs where most friendships blossom. And people don’t really stay on campus unless it’s for class, so you don’t talk to other students unless you reach out to them on social media. I am so thankful for Instagram because that is how I made 99% of my friends, but most of them aren’t from school. In general, New York is not the best place to go if you’re looking to make a tight knit friend group. Since everyone is so spread out in the city and busy doing something most of the time, it’s rare to find time to build meaningful connections. Something that is also important to be aware about is the type of people you hang around with. When I first moved to New York, I was still finding myself and just wanted to make friends. However, a lot of the friends I made the first 2 years were bad influences. It can be hard to distinguish who is a good or bad friend, because some of these people can be very kind, they just make bad choices. You just need to trust your gut. If you don’t feel 100% good about how you are when you’re around them, then chances are they may not be the friend for you.
Mental Health
You need to be MENTALLY PREPARED to live in New York City. Seriously. Especially as someone from a suburban area in the Midwest, I could not ever imagine what was to come when living in the city. First of all, you would think that because there are a lot of people in the city with so many things to do, it wouldn’t be lonely. But it is. Almost every time I talk to someone in New York, they say they are lonely. You must learn to be content with yourself, which I have grown to be during my time here. Secondly, it is not the safest place to live. Of course, bad things will happen everywhere, but you definitely need to be alert here. Since our college was in the middle of the city, we would get emails almost every other month about a student getting attacked on campus. It doesn’t help either that I’m an anxious person, so I try to be cautious at all times.
Relationships
I’m gonna end with this. Just know that New York is not the best place to be if you’re looking for that rom-com relationship. Based on my own experiences and hearing about others, I can confirm that you may encounter more bad dating stories than good ones. I moved to New York with no dating experience whatsoever, so I was really naive. Let’s just say that being naive did not help me at all, and caused a lot of heartbreak and trauma. I’m not going to take up more of your time by telling some of my dating horror stories, but if you want to hear them, then let me know. Maybe I’ll dedicate an entire blog post to them..
I know I sound like I HATED going to school in New York after all of this, but I am actually so grateful for the experience and opportunities. Without these hardships, I don’t think i would be as strong as I am today. Going to school in the city has roughened me up, but in a good way. I appreciate all the lessons I’ve learned, and the people who have brought me there. And whether you just started following me today, or have been with me since freshman year, thank you. I have put my entire college life online, and I can’t wait to continue sharing this next chapter with you.
xoxo,
char <3