My Day to Day.

NYU in Prague Academic Center

My life abroad is a rather surprising one, and just like my life while in school in New York, I have come to realize that I’ve already slipped into another daily routine where my surroundings come into effect. In New York, my usual routine of waking up on time for class, walking to the subway and riding it to Astor Place, while stopping by the local Starbucks or Mud Truck for coffee has been replaced with waking up late for class (I’m convinced my body still isn’t used to the time change...that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it!) and stopping for a quick croissant at the bakery inside the station while running down the moving stairs, hoping that I didn’t miss a train. Once I arrive at the metro stop, I bolt off to class, usually accidentally hitting other pedestrians in my path by accident. NYU’s academic center is conveniently (or not so conveniently located when it comes to a college budget) located right of Prague’s Old Town Square, which encapsulates the beauty of something straight out of a Disney fairy tale. I’ve been lucky that I chose to come to Prague in the sense that the cost of living is fairly low when compared to other NYU study abroad sites, and even costs at NYU itself. It is not uncommon to have a full meal with wine and tip for under 100 crowns, or five US dollars.

However cheap these things are, however, clothing and apparel items (at least the ones that look half decent) are almost triple the cost in some instances as the same items in the United States, which limited my attempt to help stimulate the global economy. In terms of my housing, I was fortunate enough to be assigned to a single room within a larger suite, (though I ended up paying more for it). My residence hall, Machova, is a residence hall that rekindles memories of freshman year dormitories. There is an active sense of community within the halls, and though kitchens and bathrooms are shared, I would not have chosen to live anywhere else. Because of this setup, I was able to forge strong bonds of friendship with people that will last far beyond our time here in Prague. I tend to hang out mostly at small pubs and bars in the area of our residence hall, which have a much more local feel to them than anywhere else most NYU students frequent. Sure, they’re a bit smokier than the rest, but as amateur travel writers, aren’t we trying to find the most authentic experience possible? 

Location