The #LifeHacks You Need to Know as Columbia Student in New York City

We asked, and our generous community of students and alumni answered: What lifehacks do you have for making the most out of your time as a student at Columbia, and in New York City?

Your answers poured in across the interwebs — from this form to LinkedIn to Instagram.

Below, we've compiled some of our favorite answers to the question, along with some time-honored advice and places to visit that are supremely recommended by our students and alumni.

Columbia Campus Life Hacks

On time management...

Aishwarya Singhal (SPS'23): "Time management is essential since we are not just studying but also looking for on-campus jobs, internships, cooking, and cleaning while exploring the amazing NYC. Ensure you manage your time well."

Chantel Hover (GS'22): "Figure out whether you are a late-night studier or an early-morning studied: DON'T try to be both. It can be tempting to be both or try to alternate but it just really messes with your body's sleep regulation system and you run a high risk of being awake more hours yet being significantly less productive in your work. Highly recommend the dining hall plan (if you can afford it) as it just makes life so much easier Monday through Friday.

On networking...

Kento Mori (SIPA'25): "Try to have a coffee chat with prestigious professors from Columbia you possibly can."

Felipe Fideles (SEAS'16): "Find a mentor in the career department to guide you on how to behave in an interview and present a competitive cover letter/resume — I had a mentor who taught me how to do a good handshake and dress well in the business world :)."

Brennen Yu (SEAS'24): "Find mentors, formal or informal. Not just a general one, but many specialized ones. Preferably many in your major or working in a job role you want to pursue with different levels of experience and such. Many ways to find formal mentors like ADI's Mentorship program for Computer Science majors. Columbia has programs such as Odyssey and CAMP as well. Very important to learn about how to approach problems you will face (like job search and interview tactics) and learn about what may have been successful or not for many different people."

Nancy Agrawal (SEAS'22): "Attend all networking events from the beginning. Get out of the house, make friends, and build your network. Also, take advantage of the city by joining as many clubs as you can."

On getting connected...

Nadya Arteeva (GS'24): "Subscribe to newsletters of the clubs, institutes, and departments you are interested in. This way you will always know about the events happening on campus that you wouldn’t want to miss. I can’t imagine how many times I skipped talks and lectures with my favorite scholars and activists just because I didn’t subscribe early on!"

Mu'azu Muhammad (SIPA'23): "Use the free Columbia Shuttle to move around campuses and neighborhoods. Use your CU ID to get discounts at local businesses, museums, and events. Finally, take advantage of campus resources like the gym, libraries, and courses across schools."

Maya Plentz (CC'01): "Sign-up for the gym. Great way to spend your time in between classes and keep in shape. Try to live near campus. Check the library stacks."

Kanchan Gyani (SPS'20): "Create a diverse portfolio of experiences on campus with University Life." 

Chantel Hover (GS'22): "Try to join two clubs- one you KNOW you'll love and want to join; and one that's completely new and outside of your comfort zone."

Residence Hall Must-Haves

Aishwarya Singhal (SPS'23): "Have a well functioning alarm clock since the campus is so huge and you would want to plan to start in advance for all classes."

Mu'azu Muhammad (SIPA'23): "I would recommend plants; as the journey isn't a simple one. So you need nature to de-stress."

Chantel Hover (GS'22): "An adjustable lap desk! Don't create terrible posture habits working from home just because you don't have a desk or the 'proper' set up!"

Bella Druckman (BC'24): "Check out my new article for New York Magazine about dorm essentials!" 

Nancy Agrawal (SEAS'22): "I recommend students to have small electric fans in residence halls/apartments. During the beginning of the school year, dorms without A/C can heat up pretty quickly. A fan will help combat this. Even if one lives in a building with central A/C, a fan could still be beneficial. I recommend minimizing the fan’s size so it is able to be stored/transported easily."

DT Bruno (SSW'20): "A plant. Urban Garden Center is a personal favorite."

Mark Amsterdam (CC'66, LAW'69): "A thesaurus."

Favorite Places to Study

Keith Goggin (JRN'91): "Sitting outside on any lawn on a warm, sunny day."

Aishwarya Singhal (SPS'23): "Butler Library is, by far, my favorite place to study on campus."

Kento Mori (SIPA'25): "Science & Engineering Library or Lehman Social Sciences Library. They have nice chairs to take a nap."

Joshua Cenido (IHN MS'13): "Hammer Health Sciences!" [Editor's note: More formally known as Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library]

Chantel Hover (GS'22): "When I want to study off campus, it's nice and easy to walk right across the street to Hex & Co early in the morning, grab a coffee and a breakfast sandwich, and study for a few hours surrounded by happy people (who's not happy playing games?!), until later in the afternoon when it starts to get a little too busy too focus."

Tehila Setton (BC'27): "My favorite places to study are Barnard’s Milstein Center and Butler Library (for late-night studying). Milstein is modern with comfortable seating, while Butler has beautiful architecture and is open for 24 hours."

Nancy Agrawal (SEAS'22): "Law Library"

New York City Life Hacks

Brian Jones (CC'83): "When people who grew up in NYC give you advice, take it."

Keith Goggin (JRN'91): "Make sure to take full advantage of all of the city's parks.  Central Park is a great place to relax. Hudson River Park is a great place to walk, run or ride a bike.  Washington Square Park is a great place to people watch and experience whatever counterculture is currently in play."

"You'll need the OMNY app on your phone (for the subways and busses)."  [Editor's note: You can also use digital wallets to swipe, or a chip-enabled credit card.]

Samanway Sadhu (SEAS, CS'22): "This advice more to international students coming for the first time to the US: The international money cards don't work at most places. Get yourself a bank account with a debit card first thing after coming here. Next familiarize yourself with the NY Subway and Bus system (the MTA), the best thing about NYC."

Tehila Setton (BC'27): "One of my favorite NYC-related lifehacks is to use free entry into museums! There are so many beautiful museums that provide free entry or 'pay what you want' plans for students — my friend and I were able to visit the American Museum of Natural History nearly for free last year."

Kanchan Gyani (SPS'20): "Be open to living off 124th Street if choosing off-campus housing as long as it's conveniently connected to a metro station on Line 1. Forget using navigation apps in mid-town. Create a brain map as you navigate the streets. Besides everything, be open to NYC's energy. The Big Apple will surprise you!!"

Nora Simpson (CC'02): "I had about three friends I could always rely on to take my 'urban hikes' with me. My most favorite hike was just walking down Broadway from 116th to Lincoln Center and back. Taking in the sights of Broadway and noticing people, restaurants, shop windows, trees, and buildings was an immense source of pleasure. Because we were broke college students, we quickly learned where to stop along the way for free frozen yogurt samples."

Favorite Spots to Grab a Bite

Barbara Teissier du Cros (American Language Program'16): "Enjoy the Hungarian Pastry Shop as much as you can."

Kento Mori (SIPA'25): "The Heights Bar & Grill"

Keith Goggin (JRN'91): "Famiglia"

Nadya Arteeva (GS'24): "Calaveras Corner on Amsterdam! They have the best tapas and drinks in the area."

Lisa Bou (NUR'00): "Be open to diverse cuisines. Eating out daily at good ethnic restaurants was an experience I really loved about NYC, and I can't get that anymore out here in the suburbs."

Samanway Sadhu (SEAS, CS'22): "Greek Symposium, great seafood."

Joshua Cenido (IHN MS'13): "Community Food & Juice"

Tehila Setton (BC'27): "I love to go to Wu + Nussbaum in the mornings—they have delicious bagels!!"

Mu'azu Muhammad (SIPA'23): "Junzi Kitchen"

DT Bruno (SSW'20): "Absolute Bagels, located south of Cathedral Station on Broadway, has some of the best bagels out there."

Mark Amsterdam (CC'66, LAW'69): "Bird In Hand, 146th and Broadway"

Chantel Hover (GS'22): "Roti Roll is GREAT for yummy, filling, cheap eats. For something a little more upscale but still not to expensive, Le Monde has a great lunch deal during the weekdays (small portion app, entree and dessert for $20-$25; it's delicious!)."

Bella Druckman (BC'24): "Atlas Kitchen"

Recommendations for Every Borough of NYC

Manhattan

Kento Mori (SIPA'25): "Morgan Library and Museum"

Keith Goggin (JRN'91): The Village Vanguard in Manhattan.  Arguably the world's most historic and authentic jazz club.  Go to see the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra any Monday night.  Many of the musicians in that band have been playing there every Monday night since way before this year's incoming Columbia students were born."

Joshua Cenido (IHN MS'13): "Get some chicken and rice in Midtown on a Friday night with some friends, get in line at Rockefeller Center for free tickets for the live recording or the rehearsal for a Saturday Night Live showing the next day. Walk the City and hang out at some 24hr diners or cafés until sunrise, take a quick nap and enjoy the show the next evening!"

Tehila Setton (BC'27): "The High Line is a beautiful park built on an abandoned elevated railroad track—highly worth visiting. I’m also a fan of Chelsea Market (various eateries), Hudson Yards, and Little Island (in Hudson River Park)."

Chantel Hover (GS'22): "Check out Little Island and Governor's Island."

Brooklyn

Mu'azu Muhammad (SIPA'23): "The iconic Brooklyn Bridge, the Brooklyn Museum and the Prospect Park."

Nancy Agrawal (SEAS'22): "The Brooklyn Bridge and Time Out Market offer my favorite view of Manhattan"

The Bronx

Samanway Sadhu (SEAS, CS'22): "Hands down, the Bronx Zoo!"

Mu'azu Muhammad (SIPA'23): "The New York Yankees baseball team's stadium, and the New York Botanical Garden."

Queens

Mu'azu Muhammad (SIPA'23): "Flushing Meadows Corona Park, home to the US Open tennis tournament and the iconic Unisphere, plus the Queens Museum."

Chantel Hover (GS'22): "Try new types of food: literally Google best restaurants in Queens and get lost roaming the streets."

Staten Island

Mu'azu Muhammad (SIPA'23): "The Staten Island Ferry offering free rides to Manhattan, and the Staten Island Museum."

Chantel Hover (GS'22): "Ride the Staten Island Ferry for free- it drops you off at a huge shopping mall on the water and there are crazy huge and beautiful green spaces nearby."

The Final Word: General Advice for Making the Most of Your Life as a Columbia Student

Kento Mori (SIPA'25): "Try to talk with your classmates as much as you can and try to find your dream that you really want to accomplish."

Keith Goggin (JRN'91): "Try to limit your self-induced stress. You will love Columbia and you will succeed. Do try to keep up with your work in the early stages. It is much easier to adjust to the college workload if you aren't playing a come-from-behind strategy. If you feel like you need help, ask for it early and often. Try to figure out which students in your classes are the best combination of smart and accessible and ask them to join your study group."

Nadya Arteeva (GS'24): "Try to discover not just the five boroughs but also the NY state. Whether you are looking for a one-day trip or a weekend getaway, there is plenty of lovely little towns and parks that are just one train or bus ride away."

DT Bruno (SSW'20): "My advice is to step out of your comfort zone and attend countless events—it's better to look back and say you tried than to wonder if you missed out.

Joshua Cenido (IHN MS'13): "Just go to the party. You don't have to stay; you don't have to go again. Enjoy and explore the moment. Learn what you don't like."

Chantel Hover (GS'22): "Cultivate your friendships as well as your academics. Once you're out in the working world, and starting a family (if that's in your plans), the natural opportunities to network and meet new people (especially those outside of your field) tend to be less often. You will be thankful you built foundations of friendship when you had the chance here."

Tehila Setton (BC'27): "Don’t be afraid to branch out and introduce yourself to new people, especially during NSOP and throughout the academic year. Students are all in the same boat during the first week, navigating an experience that is exciting yet unfamiliar. I met some of my best friends the first week of school! In addition, it is important to find a balance between studying and exploring the city. Make sure to organize your schedule so you have time for both!"

John Kolozetski (CC'04):" So.. you’re going to Columbia University. Maybe it was a dream of yours, maybe it’s someone else’s dream. It will be different. The people will be different. Don’t let the unfamiliar rattle you. Keep an open mind and stay focused on the light. You will absorb knowledge far greater than your expectations. These lessons will forever change you. The vast majority of you will feel obligated to act in new ways. Remember to stay focused on the light in these moments.

"You’re still a young adult, you don’t yet have the experiences, wisdom, or resources to fully understand your path.You are not superhuman, but you are a human that can do super things. Make the most of your time at Columbia by making the best choices for yourself and your loved ones. Do that now and you’ll be able to help many, many folks later."