*Record scratch* *Freeze frame*

Yep, that’s me. You’re probably wondering how I ended up here. Well, it all started when I got into the best college in New York City.

Congrats, you made it! All those 1 a.m. study sessions and nerve-wracking exams have paid off and you’re about to be a Violet. So now what?

Sure, you read all the brochures and saw the happy students frolicking in Washington Square Park. But what about the real questions: How do people make friends in a school this big and a city that’s even bigger? Are Friday nights in college really as glamorous as they are in the movies? What is that Liberal Studies program that you keep hearing about, and maybe even got placed into yourself? Will your parents disown you if you give up on engineering and become a film student?

We decided to tackle these questions and more. This mini issue is a guide for incoming students at NYU to learn more about what makes this university stand out — and how to make it their own.

Firstly, we want to thank our Voices Editor, Aleksandra Goldberg, who originally came up with the idea of making a guide for new students after watching her younger brother go through the college application process. Thank you to our writers, Nikkala Kovacevic and Mellak Abduelal, as well as everyone who contributed their stories.

As always, the special issue wouldn’t be possible without our talented design and web teams, who fabulously pulled off the “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide”-inspired look for this issue. Additional thanks go to management, copy editors and, of course, our amazing Under the Arch staff.

College is not only a time for studying and learning, but also growing, experiencing, experimenting and finding your corner of the world. What better place to do that than NYU and New York City?