Inexpensive Fun in the City
Living in New York City, with its bustling streets and endless entertainment at your fingertips, can come at a cost. On a college budget, it might be hard to imagine taking full advantage of everything the city has to offer, but there are countless ways to still have fun and still respect your personal budget. Here are four ways to explore the city, make memories and take a break from studies, all without breaking the bank!
1. Take Advantage of the Parks
New York City- dubbed the concrete jungle- isn’t particularly known for its abundant greenery and outdoor space. Coming from a small, outdoorsy school in California, I knew I would need to spend some time in nature every once in a while to feel grounded. I’ve found that strolling around a park, even if I had to take a subway to get there, is the perfect refreshing moment among a busy week. Riverside Park, just one block away from Barnard’s campus, has beautiful walking/running paths and is next to the water. A short 15-20 minute walk from campus is the NW corner of Central Park, which spans 51 blocks! One of my favourite areas is the Great Lawn, where my friends enjoy picnics and reading outside when the weather is nicer. A bit farther from campus is Washington Square Park which is located in Greenwich Village, at the centre of NYU. It’s usually buzzing with activity and it’s a nice place to sit and catch up with a friend.
2. Visit Museums with Your Student ID
The art scene in New York is undoubtedly one of the best in the world. Whether it’s gallery hopping in Chelsea or visiting some of the famous film sites, your student ID can get you free entry into one of the most iconic aspects of the city’s art scene: it’s museums! Ranging from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Museum of Modern Art to the Queens Museum, here is a complete list of all the museums you can visit for free. A number of other museums offer discounted tickets from students, so don’t forget to show your ID! Some museums that don’t usually offer free or discounted student entry have monthly free nights for everyone. A couple of my favourites are First Fridays at the Frick Collection and First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum.
3. Check Out the Markets
If you’re looking to walk around and try food from a range of cuisines or look at unique trinkets, markets could be the perfect solution. The famous Chelsea Market is a large food hall and features delicious bites to fix any appetite. If you just want to take the 1 train, the Turnstyle Underground Market is connected to the 59th Street/Columbus Circle station. It has a fun variety of vendors and food options- I still remember getting the best almond croissant here, from Georgia’s Bakery. If you’re looking for an adventure, exploring flea markets- Brooklyn Flea and Chelsea Flea are both popular- makes for an exciting afternoon and you’ll be discovering a new part of the city in the process. One of my most memorable market experiences was going to Smorgasburg in Brooklyn with my roommate during NSOP. We were both tired after walking across the Williamsburg Bridge to get there, but the views, food and memories were well worth it.
4. Attend a Live Taping
Every day, dozens of national shows are being filmed live in New York, and with some planning, you could join the studio audience and watch it in action. By simply searching for a show- a handful of the popular ones are The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Good Morning America, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Saturday Night Live, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon- you can reserve free studio audience tickets. Each show has its own reservation and day-of guidelines, but even if you don’t get a guaranteed reservation, you can arrive and wait for standby tickets. Bring comfortable shoes and water, because this process could take quite some time!
Next time you’re looking for a way to have fun and be mindful of spending, consider exploring New York through an activity I’ve mentioned, or just walk around a new borough you haven’t visited yet!
- Defne Egbo BC’23
Photo Credit: https://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/smorgasburg-guide?page_number=6&zone_id=1033954