My First Months at NYU

People talk a lot about studying abroad, the visa process, the rankings, the housing struggle, the weather. But no one talks about how it feels on the inside.

I reached the US in the last week of August. The first thing I noticed was how fast everything moved, the way people walked, the way the city breathed.

Back home I was a working professional and suddenly I was a student again. That shift sounds small, but now I have to keep up with assignments, deadlines, rules, emails. Well, I guess not that big of a change.

Leaving family behind hurts in a quiet way and has to be one of the hardest parts of the transition. I still call my mom every day or she calls me. It reminds me of home and keeps me grounded.

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A Friend Who Made The Transition Easier#

Moving alone is scary, and I was lucky to have a friend who made it much easier. He found a place for me even before I landed, paid the deposit on my behalf, helped me settle in, showed me around NYU and parts of New York, and made sure I had my first meals and basic comfort when everything felt unfamiliar.

You do not forget this kind of support, and it gives you a sense of safety that is impossible to describe.

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The First Few Weeks#

People usually post exciting photos. I travelled around the city, went to see Times Square, sat in Washington Square Park. It is quite exciting to be in the New York. Who would have thought? My high-school version definitely wouldn't.

But the truth is that the excitement fades quickly and reality shows up.

In my first two to three weeks, I kept wondering if I made the right decision. The environment was new, friends were not easy to make, and as an introvert, approaching new people always took effort.

I tried. I went to events, especially networking ones, joined a startup team hunt, and even spoke in front of a room of strangers. Real connections came slowly and in small numbers. One or two from class. Nothing dramatic.

But I try whenever I get the chance, and I count that as progress.

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Academic Adjustment and the Study Gap#

There is something no one warns you about. The shift from working life to academic life is rough if you have taken a decent break from studies.

I am more of a builder than a theory person. I like creating things, fixing things, shipping things. Graduate courses are heavy on theory, and sometimes it feels like I am fighting my own brain to keep up.

I used to love maths, and now some nights it straight up worries me. You start wondering if you can still think the way you used to. It is a strange type of self-doubt because it comes from a part of you that you thought was solid.

But you keep going. You learn, adjust, and grow. Slowly, but you do.

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The Moment It Started Feeling Like My Life#

One day on the subway, I was just sitting there looking at people. Everyone had their own life. Their own schedules. Their own problems. No one knew me. No one cared what I was doing.

Instead of feeling lonely, it felt freeing.

I realised I get to rebuild myself from zero. No labels from the past. No expectations. Just me, starting again.

That moment hit different. It made me feel like I am actually building a life here, even if the results are not obvious yet.

I've applied to many campus roles and almost a hundred summer internships, no clear breakthrough yet, and I am still figuring out networking, but I am not discouraged. Everyone is hustling in their own way, and I will find success in mine.

Coming to NYU is more than studying. It is learning how to adapt, struggle, unlearn, relearn, and show up every day. Taking a career break to study teaches you things about yourself you never notice when life is comfortable.

I am still in the middle of this change, but for the first time, it feels like I am headed somewhere that makes sense.

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