Because I attend New York University, which is an educational institution that's placed directly in the middle of a city, the very nature of the phrase "on campus" is laughable. The whole lower east side is essentially a college campus. The university logo is plastered across various concrete and brick buildings. Interwoven amongst the chaos are small businesses that have catered to the co-ed's since the school's erection.
If those logistics aren't enough to tire out the average city-goer, I am also part of my school's theater program. This means that three out of the five school days a week I'm forced to travel further away from campus than the average student to attend classes at my designated acting studio. My freshman and sophomore year, I traversed into the West Village so that I could be taught in a studio that's located in Chelsea. My junior year I walked to my classes on the other side of town in the Flat Iron.
Each year the proximity from my dorm on campus to my classes off campus increased. Freshman year was a 20-minute walk, the next year was 30 minutes and last year it took me a speedy 40-minute walk get to class each morning. I really didn't mind though. One of my favorite things to do in the city is to walk around while listening to music. My morning walks were almost peaceful, that is when I wasn't running late and was afraid that my professor was going to slam the door in my face.
Now I'm experiencing my senior year of college. I truly have moved off campus into Spanish Harlem, which would take me well over an hour to walk to class, so I'm forced to take the six train. I have an unlimited subway card which I'm getting my money's worth out of, and I'm able to do my makeup during my 25-minute commute downtown.
Since I was little I always wanted to live in an apartment in the city. When other children were drawing pictures of the big houses they wish to live in someday, I was drawing a picture of the penthouse I aspired to own. I really never minded the dorms and would have gladly stayed another year if I had to. But something just told me that it was time to grow up a little. With each year of college passing, I was getting a little more used to not living at home in Maryland, and adjusting a little better to the ways of the city life in New York.
I'm fortunate enough to be in the position to take the plunge, so I took it. I switch from life on campus to living in an apartment with my friends. Living on or off campus is such a strange concept because some people are ready for freshman year to be totally on their own. And then there are others (like me) who enjoyed having the extra comfort of an RA checking in, and staff that would plan fun events for the residents.
What I've learned in the very short time that I've been in an apartment, is that the choice to move out is so specific to the individual. There are still times that I wondered if I did the right thing, and speculate if one last year in the dorms would have served me well or not. Not that it matters though. My lease is signed until next September. I've started figuring out a rhythm to my way of life up here. There's a taco place right around the corner that I have self-proclaimed my new spot, and a Target a couple blocks away that I visit whenever I want to be reminded of home.
I'm still kind of figuring everything out as it comes along. But I guess that's what we're all doing right? I guess that's just life.
