Welcome to YU, freshbacks (translation, new students…it’s an endearing term—it means you’re fresh-back-from-Israel).
If you’re anything like us when we were in your shoes, you’re overwhelmed right now. You’re running to get back on the train to your seminary /yeshiva roommate’s sister’s in-law’s house—basically anywhere but here— so you can avoid staying in the dorms that, right now, mean the true mark of growing up. Well, let me be the first to call you out on that. Don’t do it, stick around for a bit. At least give us a chance before you bow out. In the long haul, you’re going to love it here.
Now it’s scary, confusing even. The students all around are so eclectic: they look like a mix of sem and yeshiva students, people in pajamas, hipsters out of the village, and everything in between—you don’t know what you just got yourself into.
There are too many things to do. Don’t worry—that’s good… you don’t want to go to a university that’ll leave you bored. Don’t bolt. Stick around a while. Soak up these three days of Orientation, and then your first in Shabbat. It might sound lame now, it might even sound lame while you’re going on all those walking tours and pausing to get your picture taken, but they’ll show you what’s magical about YU, you’ll be talking about them the rest of your year — and you’ll be looking back on them fondly when you’re a senior here.
YU puts on a good show for Orientation. Everyone is peppy, chipper, and you might even think this place can’t be college, where’s the work? It’s not always like this, I’m going to be honest, but the school spirit is pretty close. Students get bogged down with papers and all nighters, but there are always a million and three energetic events being run every night of the semester.
You will not go unchallenged here. You’re surrounded by people who jump for joy when discussing The Rav and Edith Wharton and differential equations (mostly the first two, though). Biology majors and English majors alike value the knowledge gained from extra-curricular of college life more than their G.P.A. They enthusiastically sign up for everything at the club faire: the debate team, the republican club, students helping students, the Sefaradi club, and intramural basketball games in a way that is unmatched almost anywhere else.
You will all face difficult choices during your time here. But if you take all of your YU lessons and education and have some faith, you can’t really go wrong. Of course, we know YU is the right way to go for your choice of college, but you should take this time to figure out for yourself why that is and why you’re glad you’re here. For some, it’s the fact that we’re in the heart of NYC, for others it’s the unmatched Torah U’Madda, but you have to find out what it is for you. For me, it’s the faculty. Whenever I need academic or moral advice or assistance with my coursework, I know I can go to Rabbi Saul Berman, Andrea Efthymiou in the Writing Center, Dean Orlian, or any of the other phenomenal professors, administrators, and presidential fellows all over campus. Take advantage of their presence, it is more than worth it.
We the students are at the heart of this University, and we are here for each other, whether that means debating censorship issues, enjoying Shabbat on campus with Tuvia and Rachel, or speaking to the SWAT team after Justin Bieber was pronounced ‘not hanged’ (you should figure out all of these references ASAP, more to come). Ask around, talk to us. We want to help make your transition as easy, fun, and, well, collegiate as possible.
Don’t just talk. Make a new friend and get lost together in discussing Wittgenstein, Bowsma, or Tanakh. Go to Tiberias and get a smoothie at 2 a.m. And come to The Observer office, room 20C in Brookdale any weekday evening between 8-11 pm. Obviously.
For these next three days, do everything. Stay up late, talk to fellow freshbacks and current students; think about things you have never considered before. Go along with the student crowd; explore the City with fellow YUers. Let YU propel you; let it motivate you. Come on, try it. You can literally do anything here — any pursuit can be yours if you’re bold enough to reach out. Come on, you got this.
I look forward to meeting all of you this year. If there is anything on your mind come find me, talk to me, or, if you’re slightly more daring, write in to scwobserver@gmail.com.