Last week I went to visit the university I committed to back in December, New York University. I’ve been to New York before for high school programs and family visits, but this time felt completely different.
This time it was for orientation, tours, and finally seeing the place I’ll soon call home. Meeting people from different parts of the world who also committed to NYU felt surreal. It made everything feel real for the first time. In just a few months, I’ll be starting my career in New York City, the most populated city in the United States and one of the biggest creative capitals in the world.
NYU itself feels unlike any other university. Instead of having a traditional closed campus, the school is fully integrated into Manhattan, centered around Washington Square Park. The city becomes part of the classroom. As someone interested in multimedia art and experimental film, that environment matters to me.
NYU has produced artists, actors, filmmakers, musicians, and writers known all around the world, and being surrounded by that kind of creativity constantly pushes people to think bigger.
High school has been difficult to complete, and having it almost be over feels like a weight lifted off my shoulders. I never fully asserted myself academically, but I still managed. What I prioritized more was my quality of life, the people I surrounded myself with, and the opportunities and experiences I chose to pursue.
To me, that felt far more fulfilling and worth putting my energy toward. Academics are important, but they are not everything. Admissions officers today increasingly look beyond grades and test scores.
Schools like NYU value individuality, creativity, ambition, and character. Character is what makes someone memorable. It is what makes someone stand out. I always say, “You can go far with a good attitude.”
I’ve been looking forward to moving back to New York for my entire senior year. Last summer, I stayed in New York City by myself while attending one of NYU’s summer programs for high school students. At first, it honestly felt isolating. I remember feeling lonely in the middle of the busiest city in America.
Everything moved fast, everyone seemed focused, and I felt completely out of place during my first week there. But eventually I found my way around, met people who are now some of my closest friends, my roommates, and stepped outside of my comfort zone. That experience permanently changed me.
A lot has happened this year, and many of my family members question my decision to leave Texas, but I have never been more sure about anything. Staying here feels like settling and convincing myself that everything I experienced growing up was somehow “okay” or “completely fine.” It wasn’t. Leaving feels necessary.
New York requires independence, self-preservation, and confidence. The city constantly pulls you in every direction at full speed. You cannot look too lost, too passive, or too unsure of yourself. New York is honest, and that honesty is exactly why I love it. It forces people to grow quickly and learn who they are.
Of course, living there is not glamorous all the time. Last summer I lost ten pounds without even realizing it. My mom assumed it was because I walked over 12,000 steps a day, but that was not the whole truth. Dining hall hours were inconsistent, restaurants were expensive, and sometimes I survived off cheap fruit and snacks just to save money. New York is one of the most expensive cities in the country, and living there means learning how to hustle and adapt.
What I’m describing might sound like complaining, but everything about it is willingly chosen. There is something freeing about living somewhere where nobody knows you and nobody is obligated to care what you do.
You get to rebuild yourself. You can wear whatever you want, create whatever you want, and become whoever you want without constantly worrying about judgment. Like I said before, New York is honest.
As a multimedia artist, NYU was always my first choice. The university’s global reputation, creative community, and history within the arts made it impossible for me to picture myself anywhere else. Being accepted into a school with such a selective acceptance rate felt both unreal and deeply rewarding.
It is a privilege to be part of a university whose alumni continue to shape film, music, fashion, business, and contemporary art around the world. One day, I hope to become one of those people too. Maybe soon someone will be writing about me in The Pantherette.
