If nothing else, the East Village is eccentric — packed to the gills with delicious gourmet food, quirky bars, clubs and bustling urban parks, this is a neighborhood that is never boring. Located to the east of Greenwich Village and just north of the Lower East Side, the East Village is prime real estate, and NYU students have undeniably taken advantage of it. The area is packed with young people, leaving the East Village in a perpetual state of youthful energy.

The East Village has plenty of cheap, scrumptious food, boasting everything from discount cheese emporiums to Chinese food and beyond. Wandering into Sarita’s Macaroni & Cheese on any given afternoon can guarantee a friend sighting, and there’s nowhere better than Blue 9 Burger for late night satisfying cravings. If those night-owl expenses seem to be piling up, save some cash by spending dining dollars at Palladium food court’s brunch and at Third North Courtyard Cafe for gourmet hot dogs.

Unfortunately, NYU has caught on to the East Village’s ideal subway access and downtown vibe, and apartment rent prices are teetering on the edge of unreasonable. Room and board in a most likely cramped apartment will run upwards of $2,000 dollars a month.

If independence is a primary goal but the comfort of proximity to campus is still desired, the East Village is ideal.

— Helen Holmes