A city of dreams

I think that’s the first thing I wrote in my personal statement when I was applying to study for a semester abroad in NYC. I guess that statement still rings true, NYC is everything you could ever imagine it being, both the good and the bad. It’s a city filled with diverse people who all have somewhere important to be. It’s somewhere you can have picnics in Central Park or go ice-skating in front of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. It’s somewhere you can get a $1 slice of pizza or go night-clubbing with views of the Empire State Building. It’s a city filled with new things to try and different places to see; it is eye-catching in the same way it is eye-opening.

If anyone tells me they are interested in exchange I tell them, YES, DO IT! There are a variety of reasons that exchange was so worth-while. It’s an amazing opportunity to grow your sense of independence away from home, to tackle obstacles without the immediate support of friends and family and to learn how to build relationships that will last beyond the exchange program. It is a unique slice of freedom to be the person who you always wanted to be without the constraints of city filled with people who already know you. Or, if you don’t know who you are, it’s a great place to figure it out. 

PACE university is set amongst the bustle of Downtown Manhattan. A few streets over from the iconic Wall Street, PACE has the similar, city-university vibes as UTS. Classroom buildings find themselves nestled between metro stations or Dunkin Donuts and students either commute from places like Queens and Brooklyn or they stay on-campus where a mix of international and inter-state students mingle. It’s in a prime location; a 15-mintue walk from views of the Statue of Liberty, a few stops on the metro from the Museum of Natural History or the MET (and yes pay-as-you-wish really means you can pay $1) and a few blocks from the infamous Brooklyn Bridge.

NYC is a place where literally anybody will find a place that is just their own. Whether you’re interested in music or art or sport, NYC has places and people to explore that interest with. Also keep an eye out for events in NYC; with so many people it’s a hotspot for underground concerts, music festivals and art shows. I found online ticketing websites a cheap way to get last minute tickets to sporting events like a baseball match at Yankee Stadium or basketball game at Madison Square Garden.

If there’s one piece of advise I would give to anyone considering an exchange program in NYC, it’s to schedule in your classes so you get Mondays or Fridays free! There are so many cities close by that you can explore on a long weekend (Boston, Chicago, Washington DC) all filled with their own original take on America.

Giselle Loo
Bachelor of Arts in Communication/Bachelor of Law
Pace University
United States

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au