Final Checklist

You’ll be heading to DC before you know it.  Take a minute to look through this final checklist to make sure that all of your bases are covered -

• Register for 12 – 18 credits; this does not include any waitlisted courses
• Pay your NYU e-Bill
• Notify your bank and credit cards that you will be living in a new city
• Register with the Moses Center
• Print and review the arrival information emailed to you by our site staff.
• Cancel NYU in NYC housing if you have not already
• Write down all important phone numbers including those listed on the contact page (your phone may not work)
• Submit Medical Forms to the Health Center
• Complete NYUTraveler
• Review the Pre-departure Orientation Presentation
• Set up a communication plan with your parents
• Have some cash on hand to get you through the first few days
• Bring your flight confirmation print-out to the airport
• Check the luggage restrictions for your airline before you pack
• Set up a budget
• Bring a copy of prescriptions (medication, eyeglasses, etc.) and carry it with you in your carry on
• Pack a carry on with all important paperwork, phone numbers, medications, and a change of clothes

Preparing to Live in a New City

As you prepare to land in your new home, embarking on what I’m sure will be a meaningful and exciting semester, you may want to take a few minutes to review the information and resources we’ve gathered to assist in your transition to live, study, and engage in a new city.

Please click here to access the online portal.

Once you log in (use your NYU netID if prompted), you will be able to watch a webinar on culture and culture shift (“What is Culture?”), links to GlobeSmart – a web tool that provides quick access to knowledge on how to communicate effectively with people from over sixty countries around the globe, as well as links to research about American stereotypes, cultural and ethical relativism, and tips for maximizing your study away experience.

Although you are not leaving the country, Washington DC is a very international city with residents from all over the world.  Hopefully, these resources will help you as you meet and interact with your new roommates, neighbors, co-workers and friends.

Non-credit Language Courses Now Available

If you are concerned about maintaining your language proficiency or if you’re interested in learning a new language or refreshing a previously studied language, check out this brand new opportunity for NYU Washington, DC students (similar to NYU’s Speaking Freely program).

The Global Language Network (GLN) is a DC-based 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization whose mission is to provide opportunities to learn any language at a minimal cost. This semester, GLN and NYU are partnering up to offer Chinese (Mandarin) Foreigner (Beginner I) on Thursdays from 6 – 8pm on the NYU Washington, DC campus!

As part of this partnership, GLN is offering NYU Washington, DC students priority registration for a class of their choice. This means that NYU students may avoid the lottery system that is normally used to determine who is placed into classes.

Please check out the GLN website to learn more about their use of the communicative teaching approach, and for information about the GLN Curriculum, including details about the different levels of classes. Here is the list of classes being offered during the Spring 2013 semester, which begins on February 4th and ends on May 5th.

If you are interested in taking a class with GLN, please complete the following steps:

• By January 21st, any interested students should:
  • o Fill out the priority registration form, indicating what class you’d like to take
    • § under what type of priority registration you have, please select ‘other’ and write in NYU
  • o If you would like to take a class level higher than Foreigner, please complete the online placement form to ensure you qualify for that level. (We will email you with the results)
  • o Finally, create a student account in the GLN system and submit a class request for the class you’d like to take

• Once GLN places you into the class (on January 24th), please make your payment by the January 28th deadline. The cost of classes is a $50 non-refundable registration fee, plus a $150 deposit, which will be returned to you at the end of the semester if you miss 2 classes or less.

Travel Tips from Your Site Rep

We’ve done a decent amount of traveling and have made some classic travel mistakes over the years. Be smarter than us by following these tips!

• I know we’ve mentioned this before, but tell your bank and credit card companies that you will be traveling. Make sure they won’t block your accounts when they see charges in unexpected areas.
• Bring a small weekend-size bag/backpack/collapsible duffle bag for trips you’ll take during your time away. Pack it with everything you’ll need for the first few days of your trip and bring it as a carry-on on the plane, so you’ll be ready in case your baggage is delayed.
• Don’t forget that you cannot bring more than 3 oz. of any liquid in your carry on for your flight.  Airport security can be very stringent. Make sure you follow all the rules when it comes to flying!
• If you follow a special diet (vegetarian, kosher, etc.) don’t forget to inform your airline ahead of time. It’s horribly unpleasant to be hungry and thirsty while you’re on a plane and they control when you get meals, so bring some snacks. And make sure you have your own water on the flight (though you can’t take any through security, remember).
• Make several photocopies of your passport ID page and credit/debit cards to leave with a family member or someone you trust. That way, if these items are lost or stolen, they’re much easier to replace.
• Set up a plan of communicating with your family members while you’re away—we recommend calling or e-mailing them only once or twice a week. Your parents will ALWAYS want to talk to you more often than that, but remember that part of studying in a new environment is putting some distance between you and some of your old routines. You’ll be better for it!
• Buy a journal.  Study Away can be a profoundly personal experience and Facebook updates alone won’t capture the spirit of what you are doing.  Keep a journal that is meant to be just for you.

NYU ID Card Information

All students will need their NYU ID cards while in Washington DC.

 

NYU students: You must bring your NYU ID card with you to Washington DC.

Visiting students: You will receive an NYU ID card once you arrive in Washington DC.

Spring 2013 Pre-departure Survey

NYU’s Office of Global Programs strives to provide students with the best possible experiences and services as they prepare to go away, and we would like your feedback to know how we are doing and where we can improve.  Please take a few minutes (really, it will only take a few minutes!) and complete the following survey. Your answers are anonymous and will help us as we prepare for future semesters.

You can find the survey here:  Spring 2013 Pre-Departure Survey

Thanks so much for your assistance!

Office Closing

NYU’s Office of Global Programs, as well as most other departments around NYU, will be closed for the winter break starting at 4pm on Friday, December 21st. We will reopen on Wednesday, January 2nd at 9am.

We understand that questions will come up while our office is closed – if so, please use the “Search” tool within this blog to see if we have covered it already (in many cases, we have!). This blog is meant to be your main resource of things to know and do regarding NYU Washington DC, and can continue to assist in answering your questions even when we are not available.

Happy New Year and Best Wishes this Holiday Season!