Natasha Arya

As we near the end of a very strange year, let’s sit back, relax, and grab a cup of cocoa as USWIB lines up the best holiday sitcom episodes on TV. 

Now that we’ve broken it down a bit, be sure to grab a fluffy blanket, put some cookies in the oven, and make a warm cup of hot chocolate as you cuddle up with friends and family this year. Happy holidays, USWIB!

Sana Singh

Studying abroad can be an exciting experience and an integral part of your college life, but given the extensive variety that NYU offers, it can be hard to choose where you should go. I personally applied to London and although I was unable to go this semester due to the pandemic, I can make a mean case for why you should go to London! Hopefully this guide can help those who are planning to study abroad (when it is safe to do so) make a decision. The key things I kept in mind when deciding where to go were: 

1. City
2. Language
3. Coursework
4. Friends
5. Cost 

 
The city is at the heart of the experience 
London is a city full of rich history, culture, art, and character juxtaposed with modern technology, cosmopolitanism, and a thriving financial district. I have always wanted to experience the city at length and fully immerse myself in European culture. The week-long family vacations haven’t helped me form a sense of what it's like to live and study in the British capital. Hopefully, one day, I will be able to do so.
 
Always think of what the city can offer you. If it matches your tastes, lifestyle choices, and makes you feel comfortable, then it's a match!
 
How many languages is too many?  
I speak four languages (and suck at all of them) so I was not very interested in learning a new language. London is one of the few study abroad destinations where you are not required to learn the local language. However, if you are interested in learning a new language or simply want to brush up on one, you can take that into account while making your decision. 
 
Keep in mind that your mandatory language course will count towards your GPA!
 
Oh wait, so you actually have to study during study abroad?! 
Unfortunately, yes. But on the bright side, your coursework might be much lighter and often filled with unique localized courses. The academic aspect of study abroad was an important point of consideration for me. NYU London is home to some of the best professors in their respective fields, namely Prof. John Beasley and Prof. Michal Chmiel who teach Operations Management and Organizational Communication, respectively. Other than Stern coursework, NYU London offers great social science courses such as, ‘Modern Europe’ and ‘Western European Politics’. You will also get the opportunity to learn from and engage with faculty from neighbouring schools like University College London, King’s College and the London School of Economics
 
Take advantage of the localized courses offered at your chosen destination. These are some of the best courses you will take at your time at NYU. 
 
But my friends are going to…
Now this one is a little controversial. You can argue that study abroad is more fun with friends. Agreed. But it is equally fun, if not more, to make friends with new people and have this shared experience with them. I only knew of one friend who was going to London at the same time as me. 
 
While there is nothing wrong in going where your friends are going, make sure you consider all aspects of studying abroad aside from your friends before making a decision.
 
NYU is expensive as it is, how much more expensive is studying abroad? 
Cost is one of the most important points of consideration for many. All destinations have different per semester costs depending on the cost of living in those respective cities. London is the most expensive destination on the study abroad list but if you put it in perspective, it costs almost the same as being in New York. 
 
Check the costs on the study abroad website before you apply and the exchange rates for local currency. Financial Aid is also available! 
 
Now, that concludes my guide, Hopefully this was helpful for those looking to finalize a destination. Personally, it was a hard pill to swallow when study abroad got cancelled but I'm optimistic that things will get better soon. Hopefully 2021 will bring us more good news. Stay safe and wear your masks! 

Sarah Foy

It’s safe to say that this semester doesn’t quite look the way that any of us would have expected just a few months ago. Back in February, my vision for the fall included studying at NYU Madrid and immersing myself in new places and cultures. As luck and a global pandemic would have it, I had to postpone my semester abroad and delay any plans to visit Spain. However, I figured that wasn’t any reason that I couldn’t try to learn about a new culture and get a little taste of Spanish living while I’m still in America. I’ve put together a guide that I plan to use for my own pseudo-Spanish immersion experience, and I thought it may be fun for others to indulge in the virtual travel experience as well!

I tried to tackle a few different aspects of life abroad so I’ve broken my recommendations into categories of tastes, sights, and sounds of Spain.

Tastes:
There is so much food that I was looking forward to trying in Spain, so I figured I would do my best to recreate some of the most famous Spanish dishes. I found these recipes for paella (vegan option included), churros, and tortilla de patatas that I can’t wait to try out!

• Spanish Paella
• Vegan Paella 
• Tortilla de patatas
• Churros

If you would rather leave the cooking up to somebody else, I’ve found a few classic Spanish restaurants located in NYC that look absolutely delicious. There’s no shame in letting someone else do the cooking, and there’s respect in supporting local businesses.

• Despaña
• Socarrat NYC
• Spain Restaurant NY

Sights: 
One of my favorite things to do when exploring a new city is to wander around and explore as much as possible. You can get a feel for the area, do some fun people-watching, and admire the beautiful architecture of the buildings around you. Some of this experience can be recreated virtually, whether it be through YouTube videos, the street-view feature on Google Earth, or some other means! The links below are to videos that piqued my interest, but there are so many online resources that can help you explore. You can apply these same tips to any city around the world, and it is perhaps an easier and safer alternative to hopping on a plane right now.

• Walking tour
• Museo Cerralbo 
• Royal Palace of Madrid Tour

Sounds:
On the bright-side of my study abroad plans being delayed, I now have a little more time to develop my Spanish-speaking abilities before visiting. The language is so important to a culture, and I would like to know the language a lot better before visiting so that I can be a courteous guest in the country. I’ve been using a lot of Duolingo to improve my Spanish, and it is so easy to do for even just 15 minutes a day! I also enjoy the podcasts Coffee Break Spanish and Eat Your Spanish for quick and easy lessons. Additionally, listening to more Spanish music and trying to learn and translate the lyrics is a great way to build language skills little by little. I also found this cute list of Halloween specific vocabulary words that is perfect for the season! Regardless of where you start or at what speed you progress, it is always so fun and rewarding to learn a new language.

Jessica Bu

Shefali Tamaskar

by Milenia James

As I was entering the fall semester of my sophomore year, I found myself asking the question: how on earth would I, as an over-caffeinated, stressed-out student practice self-care for this upcoming semester? With recruitment season coming up, a full course load, and trying to squeeze in spontaneous coffee-runs with my friends, how would I even have the time for self-care?

Would I have to frantically purchase essential oils or $9 face masks from Sephora? The answer to that is definitely not. As consumers, we are often convinced into thinking that a green-tea eye mask will help improve our mental health and overall well-being. While I do love indulging in a green-tea eye mask from time to time, I find there are various other easy, budget-friendly ways to practice self-care.

If there’s anything that I’ve learned, it’s that self-care is learning to be kind to your body and prioritizing your emotional well-being. Raw and real self-care is a power that no company can manufacture and sell. I’ve listed some of my favorite self-care tips. Feel free to use as many as you see fit.

1. The Wellness Exchange: Free Counseling services
If it wasn’t hammered into your head enough during welcome week, the free counseling services are a blessing. Whether you go in during walk-in hours or schedule an appointment, these services are a great way to discuss anything without any judgment. I find scheduling an appointment with a consistent counselor to be really helpful! Spots do fill up quickly, so make sure you schedule yours in as soon as possible! If you don’t find that you have a connection with the first therapist you meet, don’t stress. Finding your perfect fit takes time.

2. Don’t Spend as much time in Stern
I bet you didn’t see that one coming. Listen, I love Stern, but I find that when I spend great deal of time at Stern, from hanging out on the third floor of Tisch hall, or heading to classes, I can get really overwhelmed. Stern has an very competitive atmosphere and exposing yourself to that environment all the time can be draining. I find the seventh floor of Kimmel or the Blue Stripes Café to be a fun and productive place to cram for study session.

3. Stop Comparing Yourself
You’ve heard this one, and you’re going to hear it again. So what if Kevin from CorpFin got an investment banking offer from Goldman Sachs? You don’t know what Kevin’s experiences are (whether he coffee-chatted the living hell out of Goldman analysts) or if he spent every night on wallstreetoasis.com trying to prepare for finance technicals. The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter. Kevin’s success in one aspect of life does not diminish your own. You are a woman in business at one of the most selective universities in the country. You hold so much power. Your journey is unique and specific to you. While it can be intimidating hearing about how your peers got offers at top firms, know that you are on a path that no one else will ever have the chance to experience. And that is wonderful.

4. Remember your pastimes!
Is there that soul cycle class you’ve been meaning to go on? Or that cool new poke restaurant that just opened up that you’ve been dying to try? Don’t forget to once in a while to treat yourself. Recruitment can be an overwhelming, time consuming, draining process, so I urge you to once in a while to do the things that you love. This can be a great moment to ground yourself, and remind yourself why you’re working so hard in the first place. Personally, I love working out and baking (running on the treadmill and rewarding myself with a muffin after, you know the drill) and I find they allow me to release my pent up stress and anxieties into an activity I enjoy. Even taking a half an hour to yourself to watch Jane the Virgin or savor a cup of coffee can prevent you from going in brain/work overload. When you enjoy your hobby, make sure that’s the only other thing you’re doing. Savor that moment for what it is.

I guess the bottom line I’m trying to emphasize is by making sure you dedicate a little extra time to yourself during recruitment season. Remember that self-care is mostly an internal makeover, one that involves removing yourself from toxic situations and placing your needs first. Remember that it’s totally okay to take a step back from time to time to self-reflect. Best of luck during recruitment season! I hope you get your dream offer.

by Shefali Tamaskar

With spring break approaching and long commutes on trains and planes ahead, that playlist with the same ten songs you listen to every day might get a bit repetitive. One way I’ve been able to change it up and learn a little something at the same time is by listening to good podcasts. Here are some podcasts I recommend, from lifestyle to business, and everything in between.

The Moth
If you are a fan of Humans of NY, like many NYU students are, The Moth features regular people telling real stories about their lives. The Moth is recorded live all throughout the country and is reminiscent of slam poetry but in the form of storytelling, which they call StorySLAM. Each person tells their story to an audience of strangers with no notes. This podcast is perfect for those who love how storytelling can make us appreciate everyone's unique story.

SuperSoul Conversations
This podcast hosted by none other than Oprah focuses primarily on how she and her notable interviewees, from Michelle Obama to Lady Gaga, feel connected to both themselves and those around them. What is so interesting about this podcast is how Oprah is able to get renowned celebrities to talk about their vulnerabilities on the path to success. My personal favorite was the episode with social scientist Brene Brown, where they talk about how to live wholeheartedly.

• For a more scientific approach to similar life questions, also check out NPR’s Hidden Brain podcast.

Sustainability Defined
This podcast would be great for anyone passionate or just curious about what sustainability actually is. Rather than learning in an academic setting, the podcast provides an informal conversation by lighthearted experts in the field that talk about sustainability issues and solutions. For those specifically interested in the intersection of business and sustainability, the podcast features several sub-podcasts specific to just that, from Green Finance to Sustainable Beauty and Personal Care Products.
 
Recode Decode
This is a tech podcast hosted by Silicon Valley journalist Kara Swisher, where she and her guests discuss how technology, typically big tech companies, are influencing the world. Swisher is really passionate and knowledgeable about the industry and always has notable guests on to talk about interesting topics facing tech. My personal favorite was when she had on Tristan Harris, a tech ethics advocate and former Google employee, to discuss social media’s negative effects on humanity.

The Daily
Created by the New York Times journalism team, The Daily summarizes what they think is the most pressing news of the day in just 20 minutes. It’s a good middle ground between fully reading a detailed newspaper article versus only reading headlines on Twitter. With such busy lives it's hard to make time to stay engaged with what's going on around us but these short yet informative podcasts can definitely help, no matter which outlet you choose to consume news on.

• For similar length business related news, check out The Journal, produced by the Wall Street Journal.
  

 
I love podcasts because they are such an easy and convenient way to learn about whatever you are interested in. This is in no way an exhaustive list of all the good podcasts out there, and if you are a podcast connoisseur and know of other great ones, please let me know! Happy listening!

by Helen Chen

Spring break is almost upon us, but that doesn't mean it's too late to book a trip! If you're still debating whether or not to take a quick vacation out of NYC for spring break—or if you're a junior whose ISP trip just got tragically canceled—here are some great locations for a last-minute spring break:

1. Philadelphia
Plenty of fun awaits in springtime Philadelphia: Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival, a waterfront boardwalk, brews at Spruce Street Harbor Park, a roller-skating rink and lodge at Blue Cross River Rink Summerfest. The city is also steeped in history, often under-appreciated. If you are a history fan, make sure you complete your trip with a tour at the Independence Hall and snap a photo in front of the Liberty Bell—no ticket required.

And of course, the most iconic food: cheesesteaks. Pat’s and Geno’s, both located in Passyunk Square, are two of the most popular. However, Philadelphia offers much more variety of food. Head to Chinatown to try out some of the most authentic places—much better than what the NYC Chinatown offers.

Transportation to Philadelphia is also easy. You can catch a train via Amtrak or a bus via Megabus, both of which drop you off at 30th Street station, or a Greyhound which stops right downtown near Reading Terminal Market.

2. Los Angeles
Explore Grand Central Market for all the fun restaurants. Walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Hike in Griffith Park, all the way up to Griffith Observatory with its cool science exhibits. Plus, you will be amazed by the view of Hollywood Sign on one side and Downtown LA the other. Enjoy watching the beautiful sunsets; take cute pics with friends during the golden hour.

LA is the home of movies, and one of the best ways to experience the movie culture is by taking studio tours. Universal, Paramount and Warner Bros all offer visitors to learn more about the movie industry while maximizing your sensations.

And whether or not you're a shopper, you should not miss out on Beverly Hills and Rodeo
Drive. They are so iconic that you will fall in love with the charm of the stores and the people. Finally don’t forget about the beaches! Put on your favorite swimming attires and bask in the sun at Venice Beach, Santa Monica Beach, or Malibu.

3. Miami Beach
Known for its all-night parties, stunning beaches, and art deco architecture, Miami Beach is the perfect destination for spring breakers seeking a fun beach vacation to let loose. A wide variety of people—residents and travelers from different cultures—enjoy the shores of “America’s Riviera".

You can find the most affordable restaurants and hotels in North Miami Beach. In less than 10 miles away, there are galleries, museums, and theaters. In South Beach, you can find many high-end stores, nightclubs, and poolsides at the art deco-style hotels. South Beach is also more family-friendly. Travelers can relax on the beaches of Haulover Park or Lummus Park and even try fishing off of the South Pointe Pier.

One must-do is to window shop along Lincoln Road Mall. Besides, you cannot leave Miami Beach without some tasty small plates and great cocktails at a rooftop bar. Make sure to get a GO Miami Card before you arrive. You can buy one- to five-day cards for $81-$211, which gives you free access to many of the most popular attractions.

4. Literally WHEREVER
Have fun! Y’all deserve this after a month of hard work. And most importantly, travel with the people you love. Together, you can make anywhere a dream destination. Enjoy your spring break!

Huiwen Chen
Class: 2023
Majors: Finance and Data Science
Minor: Public Policy
I enjoy writing freely with the flow of mind and being able to share my thoughts with others at the same time. I hope to gain a voice in the school community through Content Committee and meet some interesting people.

Milenia James
Class: 2022
Majors: Finance and Marketing
Minor: Psychology
I really was interested in joining the content committee because I was looking for a way to get more involved in USWIB and I love writing!

Serena Hu
Class: 2022
Major: Economics
Minor: Business & Psychology
I joined Content Committee because I loved the community of USWIB and wanted to become more involved in the club!

Shefali Tamaskar
Class: 2023
Majors: Finance and Psychology
I’m so excited to be a part of Content Committee because I love to write and I hope to learn more about topics I’m interested in while I’m writing about them!

When I was in eighth grade, my dad said that he wanted to send me to school in India. Maybe any other kid who grew up in America like me would start screaming and crying about not wanting to go. I simply said okay, and a few months later, I was on a flight to India. I acted calm, but a part of me was scared and nervous. I used to visit India ever summer, but I couldn’t help but think: “How could a familiar place be so scary?”

I experienced a similar feeling when I was about to start college in NYU. Having lived in New Jersey for most of my life, I came to New York quite often. In fact, I can show you ten different pictures of myself in the same spots over the course of my childhood. However, looking at New York and living in New York are two very different things. Once again, I thought, “How can such a familiar place be so scary?”

One of the most nerve-wracking things when I first came to New York was using the subway. I know that this seems like a simple task, but I grew up in the suburbs all my life, and I’m also directionally challenged. A constant concern I had was that I would take the wrong train and end up in the middle of nowhere without knowing how to get back. Of course, soon enough, I found my savior: Google Maps. It tells me which line to use, where to change trains, and the subway timings. As a result, my newly acquired New York life hack is to never leave my room without my phone.   

Another nerve-wracking part about being in New York was crossing the street. Again, I know it sounds absurd, but I was genuinely shocked when I saw people crossing the road while two cars were speeding in their direction. I mean, there are pedestrian signals for a reason! Soon enough, I realized that I can sometimes cross a street even if there is a stop signal, like when there are no cars on the other side. At least, as long as my dad doesn’t find out.

There are many things about living in New York that sound easy when you hear them, but are quite nerve-wracking when you experience them for the first time. It has only been a few months since I’ve lived in the city, but each day is a new experience. Slowly, I can feel myself getting used to life in the city and acquiring some of the habits of the people here. After all, we live and we learn, right?