Advice

Beer Garden
If you are planning on studying in Prague, one of my biggest pieces of advice is to take advantage of the beautiful weather. In the springtime there are paddleboats that you can rent on the Vtlava River as well as beautiful parks to have a picnic or lay outside. One of my favorite activities recently has been hanging out with my friends here in one of the beer gardens in the park nearby. When the weather is nice, it’s more fun to be outside and there is a great view of the Prague castle.
In terms of location, the two NYU dorms, Slezka and Machova, are located in a neighborhood called Vinohrady. It’s right outside of the main part of Prague and it’s a rather small residential area. I have really appreciated living here in Machova because it is conveniently located to stores, a short walk from Wenceslas Square, and not that much further to the NYU campus and Old Town Square. However, Prague is a relatively small city and it is also easy to get around and navigate for the most part (even though I do not know how to pronounce most of the Czech street names).
One aspect of my study abroad experience that I would highly recommend is my job tutoring. If you can in someway find a family, friend or Czech student to befriend, it will teach you a lot about Czech culture. Since the people here are mostly quiet and reserved, the family that I tutor for has really shown me a side of Prague and Czech life that I would not have seen otherwise. Also, something that I did not quite take advantage of enough was our RA’s. They are a great source of information and they also can give you insight into Czech culture.
And lastly, one of the most advantageous aspects about studying abroad in Prague is that it’s centrally located to the rest of Europe. This city has served as a great jumping off point and has allowed me to see and explore other cities in Europe that I had never been to before. While I have been able to get to know this city, Prague, I have also seen so much more. Thus, I would tell any student coming to Prague to be prepared to get on planes, trains or buses and sightsee whenever they get the chance!