For all our shared rage over New York University's exuberant, irresponsible and arguably arrogant tuition costs, you know one way I’d argue they make up for it? School events. From CAB events to RA/Dorm events, the various parties, socials, trips and eat-outs the school provides is delightfully mind boggling and put the school’s money where its mouth is.

For someone like me, whose a bit too square to go partying and a bit too economically dry to go explore as much as he wants to, these opportunities are God sends. Thanks to the various campus events, I’ve gotten to explore tenement houses, see Something Rotten on Broadway, sit front row in Madison Square Garden and countless more fun stories.

And no other week captures this exciting valley of possibility more than Welcome Week, where freshman are inundated with more event opportunities then they are physically able to attend. Welcome Week was some of the most fun I’ve had at NYU. Hell, I met my two best friends and roommates at a Tisch party. No other week at the school better instilled to me the idea that I had made the right choice.

Which in my head, somewhat justifies my efforts of mass espionage this Welcome Week.

My first day back as a junior, I decided to go to Kimmel to see get some righting done as this year’s freshman class got their IDs, class t-shirts and various information packets.

So, I decided I would join them.

I followed a group up in an escalator to where t-shirts were being held and got an NYU t-shirt. I was unable to get a Class of 2020, as the woman handing out the shirts saw my ID did not say 2020 on it (I had to explain I was a “transfer student,” so I just got an NYU shirt. Honestly, I don’t mind, because I would have felt bad taking a 2020 shirt from someone else).

After getting some assorted NYU chachkee and enjoying some lunch, I decided that I would try to enjoy some of the events being offered for the freshman of NYU.

I wish I could tell you that my efforts to infiltrate Welcome Week were some incredible story. That I had to utilize disguises, crawl through air vents, and use gadgets to take out guards. But what it really entailed was just me downloading the NYU Guide app, going to events, and if anyone asked why my ID didn’t list me as 2020, I would simply explain that I was a transfer student.

Ultimately, from Sunday to Wednesday, I was able to go to three marquee events: The Brooklyn Bash, the Broadway Cabaret, and A Capella show (my attempts at Disney Karaoke proved futile. In hindsight, I should have tried Drag Bingo). I couldn’t go to the President’s Welcome because I could not procure a ticket to MSG. My understanding was that the Cabaret is a new event.

So what were my big takeaways from this experience?

For one, the school manages to keep the yearly events similar but fresh. While the Brooklyn Bash’s theme and activities shared some similarities to my year’s (the theme was centered around nostalgia and there was an emphasis on video games and twister), a new emphasis on eclectic music and mechanical bull-style surf board made the event feel delightfully fresh. The week’s also another chance for the school to boast its ability to procure talent. The Cabaret was a sort of who’s who, featuring Broadway performers and Tony nominated current students. It was with these events that I also really appreciated the effort our fellow upperclassmen put in for Welcome Week. I began noticing the same ambassadors covering multiple events, displaying a level of energy, enthusiasm and positivity that would make Disney World employees blush. I wish I could have that level of commitment and passion to anything. And these students do it just to make sure freshman start their college experience on a great note.

(If you are wondering, a few of my fellow classmates working the events noticed me. I simply looked at them and put my finger to my lips. Fortunately, I didn’t have to take anyone out to preserve my cover)

And as I mentioned before, the week was a reminder of what happens when NYU uses its resources to benefit its current students directly. The events I attended as well as the entire atmosphere of Welcome Week gave off an air of positivity, enthusiasm and scope that serves as a great reminder of why NYU gets its reputation.

Why did I do it?

Maybe to kill time.

Maybe to see the new class of NYU students.

Maybe it was my way of coping with a sudden and overwhelming despair over the fact that I'm half way done college and feeling like I haven't accomplished a tenth of what I want to do and am facing a complete and irreversible change to my life where I will be on my own for the first time which frankly I should have dealt with freshman year but never really faced which is coming back to bite me in the ass and send me into a crippling level of panic.

Maybe I just did it some laughs. But what really matters is that I had a handful of great experiences I wouldn't have had otherwise.

I don’t think I will attend anymore Welcome Week events this year, partially because Welcome Back Week finally starts picking up with several events now. This leads me to one final point: I sincerely wish the various powers to be would create more events for upper classmen.

While I’ve lucked out that Lafayette has many dorm specific opportunities, there is a noticeable lack of events Sunday through Wednesday. For kids like me, these are the chances to branch out, to experience New York, to meet new friends and fully experience the College life. I don’t want to have commit spy-guy stuff next year.