As a student at NYU, I’ve noticed that everyone is constantly moving between their classes. When people say hello, they are still walking, not stopping even once to catch up. People at NYU are ambitious; some are interning at Marvel or NBC, some are working multiple jobs, and others are in many clubs. NYC is already an intensely paced city, but no other college is as fast-paced as NYU. Despite how old we are or what our class standing is, I have noticed that there is a mentality that drives us to take as many classes as we can, to quickly build up our resume and get the next internship, and to quickly make connections at clubs or parties. But, do we really need all that?
Generally, students are set on taking 18 credits each semester in order to make the most out of the tuition block pricing for a full-time student, which is typically 4-5 classes. This is admirable, but, sometimes it becomes too much to handle and you are left with the choice of dropping a class or possibly failing. We need to take a step back and analyze the situation. Dropping a class because of the heavy workload does not mean the end of the world. Neither does it mean that it will take longer to graduate. If this does change the plans of your future semesters, then you will have to take this into account, But, graduating a semester later isn’t going to hurt you; instead, it gives you more time to really develop your skills and passions.
As a college student, everyone’s goal is to get a job after graduation, which makes us feel that we have to be doing something every chance we get. However, doing so doesn’t necessarily guarantee a job post-graduation. So, if you aren’t working right now and don’t plan to just yet, that’s okay. Taking a break from working and focusing on classes is fine. Even if you’re a junior or a senior, this doesn’t mean that you are behind. Everyone has their own pace of doing things. Don’t feel rushed or pressured to constantly be working. Instead, it would be more efficient to slowly figure out what you want to do during the upcoming semesters or summers and put all your efforts into making that happen.
When sitting in class, the professor usually says that we should take advantage of the NYU community by making friends and connections during our time here. By joining clubs, going to parties, and going to events every weekend. But, you don’t need to be going out every weekend. Let the process be natural and slowly meet people throughout your time at NYU– focus on making your current relationships stronger instead of spreading yourself thin.
I myself have learned to take things slow. When I was busy working 15-20 hours a week on top of taking 18 credits last semester, I was miserable. I didn’t like what I was doing and I didn’t feel fulfilled. So, now that I am unemployed and taking fewer credits, I feel anxious about not utilizing my time as best I can. But, at the same time I feel at ease knowing that I am taking things slow and still breathing. I am able to allow myself to put all my energy into school, and stress less without having to worry about work and school at the same time.
So, it’s okay to say no to some things and give yourself time to do things at your own pace– not too slow, not too fast, but at your speed.