required reading: living and lifestyle

If you’ve found this article, you’re most likely coming from part one of this two-part series in which we try to reassure you, the incoming class of first-years (or upperclassmen who just like reading back-to-school content) that all your academic, social, and lifestyle concerns have solutions. If you haven’t read part one about the academic scene at Barnumbia, loop back around to it at the end of this article.

Sign up for that registry, and beg your distant relatives to send you money, because it’s time to start packing for college.

Packing is hard. How do you consolidate your entire life into a few boxes? What if you forget something super important at home? Or decide against bringing something last minute, only to ask your parents to ship it to you three days (and $20) later?

NSOP is only three weeks away! As the start of the school year gets closer, you’ll have to figure out what should go on your packing list. Don’t weigh down your luggage with unnecessary items—plan to pack half of the things you’ll eventually need in your dorm, and expect to buy the rest once you get to the city.

Many of you have asked us whether it’s wise to get an internship your first semester at Barnumbia. Between classes, popping in and out of interest meetings to find which clubs suit you, and making friends with new people, adding a job or internship to your load if you do not absolutely have to may not always be advisable. Here are some key questions to ask yourself before you make the commitment.

Budgeting sounds easy enough, but that holy trinity of extortionate New York prices, the inevitable busyness of college, and the fact that keeping control of random expenses is like a game of Whack-a-Mole will leave both your wallet and your soul empty soon enough.

You won’t truly understand this unfortunate reality until you live here, but New York City is expensive. Like, $5 for a half-gallon of milk kind of expensive.

Now that you’re a college student, you have some degree of control over your money. However, you may find that no matter how much you budget, you might still end up not having as much cash as you’d like. Before you fire up Google (“How much for a black market kidney,” anyone?) research some easier (and legal) ways to make and save money on campus.

There are many ways to get around New York City, and each of them has its own perks. As a college student, though, you’re going to have to figure out the cheapest and quickest way to get to your internship, dinner date, or whatever it is you kids do nowadays.

A lot of people go into college thinking that the cost is limited to tuition payments. But with pricey textbooks, living essentials, and transportation, you can end up spending much more than planned. Keep note of these frequent money drainers and budget accordingly.