Life in America
When I first came to the United States, I studied in Buffalo, near the Canadian border in New York State.
To be honest, for any kid who grew up in a Chinese city, no city in America, except New York, feels like a real city.
Most American cities have a downtown area where city government and some major companies cluster, along with one or two small-scale plazas or parks.
In slightly larger cities, downtown has a big shopping mall with some common American mass-market clothing brands, department stores, and various fast-food chains.
But schools are usually far from downtown, so students typically live in dorms or nearby houses, with cheap rent generally ranging from $500 to $1500 per person per month.
The most common food is American fast food, and what we eat most often is in the school dining halls. If you just arrived in the US, trying to lose weight—or even just maintain your figure—is really tough.
Chinese food here is American-Chinese food; the most common places are Panda Express and P.F. Chang's, plus the Chinese restaurants near campus.
If you love shopping and enjoy buying luxury goods and streetwear, be prepared to shop online or drive far to outlets. Spontaneous shopping trips anytime, anywhere? Forget about it.
Other entertainment options are pitifully scarce. Apart from campus sports events, only half-price movie tickets on Tuesdays, family bowling nights, and the single club in town remain.
When studying in a rural American town, the first thing most people do is get a driver's license and buy a car. In these vast rural areas (including most cities) with almost no public transportation, you really can't get anywhere without your own wheels.
For me, with a wide acceptance range and strong adaptability, living in rural America didn't bring any inconvenience. On the contrary, I found it a kind of ease and relaxation that's hard to enjoy back in China.
Life in New York
If you feel you can't adapt to studying and living in the American "countryside," or if you're naturally drawn to power, competition, and opportunity, then New York is absolutely your best choice for studying abroad in the US.
If you have a devoted "Chinese stomach," no other city in America can satisfy you better than New York.
All the Chinese food and drinks you might miss—hot pot, skewers, dim sum, Sichuan cuisine, Northeastern Chinese dishes, desserts, bubble tea... In New York, the only thing you haven't found yet is a Chinese restaurant you haven't discovered; there's no hometown flavor you can't find.
Not just Chinese food: in New York, you can also have the most authentic French cuisine, Japanese food, Italian, Spanish flavors... Even the street food carts in New York are irreplaceable "blockbusters" unmatched in other cities.
New York is undoubtedly the fashion capital of the US. Whether you're a fan of Louis Vuitton and Cartier or passionate about streetwear brands like Supreme and Bape, you can visit physical stores in New York and often get first-hand releases.
Most people only know Fifth Avenue as a shopping mecca, but those who truly live in New York know that SoHo is the real fashion center. You wouldn't dare walk around SoHo without dressing fashion-forward because it's truly a hub of style talent.
Living in New York, apartments are definitely not all as luxurious as on Gossip Girl, but they're definitely all expensive. If you want to live in Manhattan, studio prices start at at least $3000 a month, and a one-bedroom at least $4500 a month, with basically no upper limit—it depends on how nice a place you want.
One reassuring point is that New York schools have many Chinese international students, and each school has its own student associations that help students build connections and find roommates to share rent.
If you can live in Brooklyn or Queens, there are some good loft or house options, but the per-person cost starts at at least $1500 a month.
Getting around New York, you can go your whole life without a driver's license because public transit is more than sufficient, and in most parts of New York, it's even faster than driving or taking an Uber.
New York's subways and buses can take you to almost every corner of the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens—all you need is a MetroCard to travel throughout the city.
However, the New York subway is not as clean and comfortable as those in China. In reality, it's aging and in disrepair. Though safe to ride, most stations are rather bare, cold in winter, hot in summer, smelling unpleasant, and occasionally you'll spot large rats.
But in New York, you'll never be bored. Outdoors, there's Central Park you can never get tired of and various local plazas and parks; indoors, there are endless museums and art exhibitions to see.
For art and culture: Broadway shows and all sorts of artistic displays. For personality: street art and body painting. For trendiness: the latest news and exclusive pop-up stores. For passion: the best sports games and concerts by Chinese and American singers touring...
Regardless of gender, age, or interests, you can find people and activities you love in New York and find your own belonging. You can have the whole world in New York, or you can carve out a little corner that belongs only to you.
New York Colleges and Universities
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, an Ivy League institution, ranked 3rd in the US and 8th globally.
Notable programs include: journalism, biomedical sciences, engineering, accounting and finance, earth and marine sciences, sociology, anthropology, law, and more.
New York University
New York University, ranked 30th in the US and 28th globally.
Notable programs include: philosophy, mathematics, physics, computer science, law, business, medicine, film school, and more.
Fordham University
Fordham University, ranked 70th in the US, located farther from central New York City.
Notable programs include: communications, business management, psychology, and more.
Additionally, given New York's unique advantages, there are many art schools to choose from: Parsons School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY), known for fashion; Pratt Institute, known for various design fields; and the Juilliard School of Music, renowned for music arts, among others.
