The Firsts Issue

NYU’s new freshman class descended upon the city this last week, and though they hail from all corners of the globe, they share the whirlwind that is their first week of college.

I tend to think of my life in terms of firsts — my first teddy bear, my first time at sleepaway camp, my first school dance. I find that they characterize specific periods of my life, and just looking at a picture from one of these first moments has the ability to take me back to that time. Watching the freshmen flood Washington Square Park this past week took me back to going to Drag Bingo during Welcome Week and coordinating lunch schedules with my friends during the first week of classes.

But “first” means more than just that to me. I’m a first-generation American and the first child of Indian immigrants. To thousands of others just like me, going to college means their parents achieved the American Dream.

Maybe you’ve just started your last first day of college. Maybe you’re the first person in your family to attend college. Whatever your story, I hope you look back at your first experiences from this past week positively. Welcome to the Firsts Issue.