Dobrý den!
My name is Pooja, and I’m a sophomore currently studying abroad in Prague! I’m a Business major, concentrating in Finance, and minoring in Computer Science and Politics. I chose to come to Prague because of its central location, and how relatively inexpensive it was.
I’ve been here for just over a month, and it’s been great. Don’t know Czech? Not a problem! Most people speak English and even if they don’t, they’re willing to help you out. Body language is universal, too. Anyway, if you thought New York City was beautiful, you have to come to Prague. The buildings here are very colorful, and the architecture is breathtaking. Prague is stunning. Ten out of ten, would recommend.
There are three NYU dorms here in Prague: Machova, Slezska, and Osadni. Machova gives you your typical suite, Slezska offers a small community, and Osadni has large apartments. I currently live in Machova, and other than some struggles doing laundry and the occasional faulty wi-fi (though it’s usually fine), it’s great! I share a suite with five other girls, and we have a large bathroom and a smaller water closet, so mornings aren’t very difficult. It’s super easy to get to class as well, with buses, trams, and the subway all being viable transportation options. They’re consistent too, and actually come on time (and so I’ve had to run to catch a tram more than once).
Campus is beautiful, right on Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) and a short walk from Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí), where protests during the Velvet Revolution took place. It consists of two buildings, with several classrooms in each.
I’m taking four classes here in Prague: Org Comm, Intro to Marketing, Law and Society, and Germany and East Central Europe. Classes are quite small. My Org Comm class and Intro to Marketing class are under 25 students. This has given me an opportunity to get to know a lot of my classmates. Plus, small classes means there’s no Stern curve. That’s definitely a perk.
I’ve already started traveling as well. In early February, my friends and I headed to Karlovy Vary (also known as Carlsbad), a small spa town nestled in the northwestern part of the Czech Republic. Karlovy Vary is known for its drinking springs, and while it was definitely cool to see them, the water didn’t taste so good (it was very metallic). This past weekend, we went to Budapest, Hungary. It required a lot of walking, but the architecture was beautiful and it was super cheap. I’d definitely recommend a weekend in Budapest; my friends and I had a great time there.
While I love Prague, it hits me sometimes that I’m thousands of miles away from home. But the NYU community is really accessible, so it’s easy to reach out and connect with people who are feeling the same things I am. It’s kind of surreal to know that I’m going to be here in Europe for the next three months. But I’m super stoked for all the adventures to come. If you have any questions about Stern or about Prague, please feel free to reach out to me!